Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted that young midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek will play a part in the first team next season.

The 19-year-old has been training with the senior squad since the beginning of the year after making his debut against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in December.

Mourinho says that the England Under-19 international will be given the chance to impress at Stamford Bridge.

"Next season, Ruben will not be a kid in the development process," the Portuguese coach told The Express. "He will be a first-team player, absolutely ready to play and compete. And we will do the same with two or three or four players.

"Some of the older ones will go on loan to play every game in the Championship or the Premier League, even abroad. And we will bring some of the younger ones into the process. But to have them all at the same time in the first-team squad is hard.

"I cannot have a squad of 10 men and 10 kids. I must have a squad like we have now of 16 or 17 seniors and three or four kids."

Loftus-Cheek has made two appearances so far for Chelsea.

Written by
Steven Toplis