Chelsea: Ruben Loftus-Cheek looking for January loan move due to lack of first-team chances

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is exploring the possibility of a temporary move away from Stamford Bridge during the upcoming January transfer window. The young midfielder is disappointed with the number of chances afforded to him in the first-team by manager Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese manager promised the 19-year-old midfielder a more significant role with the senior squad, after being handed his first-team debut at the end of last season. Loftus-Cheek, however, has been used sparingly and has played just 62 minutes in the Premier League this campaign, apart from one appearance each in the Champions League and the League Cup. Moreover, his lack of appearances in Chelsea's U21 side could prompt the midfielder to look for a move away to continue his football development, according to The Times.

Mourinho had promised the midfielder more playing time following Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Southampton, and started him in their next game against Aston Villa. He was, however, withdrawn at half-time, and following the game leveled some criticism regarding his work ethic and positional sense during his first-half display despite playing him out of position in a No 10 role.

Loftus-Cheek, who prefers to play in the deep lying midfielders role, is an England U21 international and was a regular for the Chelsea U21's until his promotion to the first team at the end of the 2014/15 campaign. The report claims that the midfielder is not short of offers and has generated interest from clubs in the Premier League, Championship and other leagues in Europe, but it will depend whether Mourinho sanctions the move.

The Portuguese manager is under immense pressure to get a positive result in every game and could hold onto the midfielder to give him options, as regular starters Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas are struggling to replicate last season's form.

Further, the Portuguese manager was watching from the stands when Loftus-Cheek put in an impressive performance, including scoring the opening goal in his first appearance for the Chelsea U21's this season. This could scupper any chances of the manager granting his wish to move away from Stamford Bridge in January.