AC Milan hasn’t always been a happy hunting ground for English players trying their luck abroad. After the success of Fikayo Tomori, though, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is the next Englishman to give it a go with the Rossoneri.
The past Englishmen at the club are few and far between. Jimmy Greaves had an ill-fated time at the San Siro in 1961. Although he scored nine goals in 10 games, Greavsie never settled at the club and left after just six months.
Luther Blissett, a star of English football in the 1980s, moved to Milan from Watford in 1983. He at least lasted the whole season but scored just five times in 30 games. Even David Beckham, who shone at Real Madrid, looked pretty average for the Rossoneri.
A different story
Whereas Beckham, Greaves and Blissett arrived at Milan on the back of top performances, Loftus-Cheek comes with something to prove.
When Loftus-Cheek made his Premier League debut in 2014 for Chelsea, the pundits were raving about his potential. However, injuries, a lack of opportunities and several loan moves meant he never really had the chance to establish himself at Stamford Bridge.
Now 27 years old, he’s joined a Milan side that finished fourth last season, one place behind city rivals Inter. The club will be hoping to improve their position this year, although it won’t be easy with such a new team. While they don’t start the season as favourites in any competition, those who bet on football frequently will know that anything can happen in this sport. It’s definitely worth watching the markets as the campaign unfolds.
If Loftus-Cheek can find his best form, he really could be a key player for Milan. A tall box-to-box midfielder, he’s also played as a striker and wingback. His ability on the ball is evident. Nonetheless, at this stage of his career, he needs to be consistently delivering. Put simply, 16 goals in 215 Premier League games is just not good enough for a predominantly attacking player.
Can he help bring silverware to Milan?
In terms of skills, he’s certainly good enough. By handing him the number eight shirt worn by legends Gennaro Gattuso and Marcel Desailly, manager Stefano Pioli has demonstrated his confidence in Loftus-Cheek. Perhaps with Pioli’s faith behind him, Loftus-Cheek will go on to achieve his full potential as well as follow in the footsteps of Ray Wilkins and Mark Hateley, two Englishmen who did make it in Milan.
Hateley spent three years at the San Siro, scoring 17 goals in 66 appearances, including a header that helped the team win a derby for the first time in six years. Wilkins, another midfielder with Chelsea connections, played 73 times for the club and is still highly regarded by fans.
Despite winning Serie A in 2022, Milan have had their fair share of struggles since then. In Loftus-Cheek, they have a player who knows he needs to get his career back on track. An intelligent footballer with a good range of passing and the ability to take on defenders, he’s the type of player who should thrive in the Italian league as he can unlock defences and create opportunities.
His time at Chelsea saw him show flashes of class. If he can bring those touches to the field consistently, he could go down as AC Milan’s best English-born player ever; even better than David Beckham and Jimmy Greaves.
