John Terry: 'Ruben Loftus-Cheek will need mental strength to stay in first team'

Chelsea captain John Terry has suggested that Ruben Loftus-Cheek will need to be mentally strong to keep a place in the club's starting XI.

The 19-year-old featured in two Premier League games at the back end of the Blues' title-winning campaign, but recently came under criticism from boss Jose Mourinho for a lacklustre showing in a friendly against Sydney FC.

"He's a young boy and he needs to take [the criticism] on the chin," said Terry, according to the Evening Standard.

"I'm sure he will, but as captain I'll have a quiet word, for sure. The manager picks his times when he digs people out. That's part of his learning curve and he's got the off-season to think about that now.

"He's come on a couple of times and started a couple of games late in the season, but for him to make that next step and become a regular, it doesn't happen easily. If you want to get into this team, you need to be very good and mentally strong."

Loftus-Cheek has spent the entirety of his footballing career at the Blues, having joined the club at the age of eight.