RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK has emerged as a shock Monaco target.
The frustrated midfielder has been told he must be patient over his wait for a place in the Chelsea team.
England ace Loftus-Cheek, 22, shone at the World Cup but was not even on the bench for Saturday’s 3-2 win over Arsenal, after playing 22 minutes against Huddersfield.
It is understood Monaco want him on a season-long loan, where they could offer him valuable game time.
The French giants are hoping to win back the Ligue 1 title from Paris Saint-Germain while also challenging in the Champions League.
Squad depth will prove vital and Loftus-Cheek would add an extra bite to a midfield which has already been strengthened by the signing of £27million Russia star Aleksandr Golovin.
Loftus-Cheek impressed on loan at Crystal Palace last season and was hoping to play a more regular role upon his return to his boyhood club.
He is partly a victim of the laws of the game which Italian Sarri is struggling to come to terms with as he settles into Premier League life.
The ex-Napoli boss said: “I can understand everything but here the problem is the bench.
“In Italy, the players’ list for the match is 23 players. Here it is only 18.
“So every match I have to decide on not what’s good for the players, but the positions on the pitch. Sometimes I want two wingers. Other times, I want two midfielders.”
But Sarri is confident Loftus-Cheek will remain a Chelsea player until at least January.
He said: “I have spoken with him twice this week, after speaking with the club. I think Loftus will remain with us.
“We can speak again about his situation but only in December.
“It’s not so easy in this period because we play only once a week.
“But I told the team that, this month, they have to be patient. Starting from September, we play three games a week, so there will be space for everybody.”
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