Loftus-Cheek close to AC Milan move as Chelsea squad overhaul continues

A move for the 27-year-old is yet to be finalised but the Serie A side are hopeful that it will be completed in the coming days.

It will bring to an end a near 20-year association between Chelsea and the England international, who joined the club’s academy in 2004.

He has scored 13 times in 155 appearances for the club, with 10 of those coming during the 2018-19 campaign, but struggled for game time under successive managers during the second half of last season.

He was a part of the England squad who reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The club are keen to do as much outgoing transfer business as possible before June 30 so that deals can be included in financial accounts for the 2022-23 season.

N’Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly have already departed to join sides in Saudi Arabia’s Professional League, with Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech expected to follow them after deals were agreed.

PA understands that Kai Havertz’s £65million move to Premier League rivals Arsenal will be announced this week, with a deal also in place for Mateo Kovacic to join champions Manchester City.