West Ham United transfer target Ruben Loftus-Cheek was furious at being substituted in Chelsea’s Europa League semi-final on Thursday night.
The Chelsea and England midfielder has been given more opportunity at Stamford Bridge under Maurizio Sarri.
But Blues fans believe that is only as a result of their relentless haranguing of the Italian manager to give Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi their head.
West Ham want England powerhouse
Still the 23-year-old talented powerhouse has only featured 22 times in the Premier League this season, many of those late cameos from the bench.
Speculation has been rife over his and Sarri’s futures at the club.
The Hammers have been credited with a keen interest in Loftus-Cheek in the last two windows (Daily Mail).
And they were given a glimmer of hope that Loftus-Cheek’s frustrations had reached breaking point on Thursday night.
Ruben rage
The England star reacted furiously to being unexpectedly withdrawn by Sarri.
It came after he scored a superb goal during a man of the match display in Chelsea’s Europa League triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt.
The substitution also meet with a chorus of boos from the home crowd who then chanted ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ at the Italian manager.
Loftus-Cheek was then pictured by TV cameras looking disconsolate on the Chelsea bench.
And that would have given Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini encouragement.
The images might have convinced the Chilean he could lure Loftus-Cheek with the promise of guaranteed first team football.
Pellegrini should not get hopes up
But when the Blues advanced to the final on penalties Loftus-Cheek looked happier than ever.
And Chelsea’s transfer ban – an appeal against which they have launched with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Telegraph) – means they would be highly unlikely to sell anyway.
West Ham have also been linked with other midfielders including Pape Gueye, Dani Ceballos and Gary Medel.
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