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England manager Gareth Southgate feels Ruben Loftus-Cheek has failed to make a mark at Chelsea owing to the presence of several senior players.
The 21-year-old made his Three Lions debut against Germany on Friday night, and he was awarded the man of the match for his resolute performance in midfield.
In a report covered by Sky Sports, Southgate insists Loftus-Cheek has the talent to become a regular for both club and country and feels the Blues players may have held back his progress.
He said: "He has been able to battle through difficult spells at Chelsea, training with senior players who recognise his talent so get into him in training.
"Have they kept him in his place? Yes, I imagine they probably saw the threat. This season going out and playing has helped him.
"In the early season I saw him and he showed flashes of what we saw against Germany. I think he can affect big matches like he did."
Loftus-Cheek struggled to cement a regular midfield role under Antonio Conte, and this pushed him to join Crystal Palace on a season-long loan this term.
While the Eagles have not found much success in front of goal, Loftus-Cheek has impressed in his short time in south London with his ability to help out his forwards being a highlight of his play.
With the World Cup coming along next year, Loftus-Cheek has a good chance of cementing hit spot in the national setup with several senior players pulling out with injuries.
Written by Sri Aswin
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