Chelsea Assure Loaned Out Star He Has a Future at Club Despite £15m Ross Barkley Transfer

Chelsea have told on-loan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek he has a future at Stamford Bridge despite the arrival of Ross Barkley.

Loftus-Cheek has excelled during his loan spell at Crystal Palace, but his future at Chelsea looked bleak following Barkley's £15m transfer from Everton on Friday.

However, the Daily Mail are reporting that Chelsea have told the 21-year-old he does indeed have a future at the club despite Barkley's move, a move which he is believed to have been told about prior to joining Palace on loan for first team experience.

Loftus-Cheek had had previously criticised his lack of first team opportunities at Stamford Bridge, saying: "I think in the last two or three years I've had to be patient. It was tough, mentally, at Chelsea not getting the game time, but I had to be really patient and have the mentality to still train right and do all the right things."

Barkley is set to be a key feature of Chelsea's future after an inconsistent few years at Everton, and Loftus-Cheek will hope to be part of that future should the club keep him. His impressive displays at Selhurst Park have earned him a call up to the senior England side, and he was man of the match against world champions Germany in a friendly at Wembley Stadium.

It is thought a potential partnership between himself and Chelsea new boy Barkley could be moulded upon his return with some of Chelsea's stars hitting their early 30's. Loftus-Cheek's current stats at Chelsea see him with 32 appearances and three goals.