London (AFP) – England Under-21 midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek on Wednesday became the new Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer’s first signing since taking over at the Premier League side last month.
The 21-year-old joins Palace on a season long loan from champions Chelsea.
“I had the option of coming to Palace and I thought that it would be great for me,” Loftus-Cheek told Palace’s official site.
“I live not too far away, I was born in Lewisham and Palace is a good club so I thought it’s a good chance to play here and be a part of the team.
“They have a very strong team and I’d like to be a part of that this season.”
Loftus-Cheek featured six times in Chelsea’s title-winning campaign last season. He has made 32 appearances for the Blues across the last three seasons, scoring twice.
In addition to his club career, the midfielder has been capped by England at youth levels and has won 17 caps for the under-21 side since 2015.
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