Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson thinks Chelsea loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek is as good as any England players he worked with.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson thinks that Ruben Loftus-Cheek is as good as any of the players he worked with when he was England boss.
Loftus-Cheek, who is on loan at Selhurst Park from Chelsea, scored the third goal as the Eagles ran out 5-0 winners against Leicester City in the Premier League.
It was a result that effectively assures the South London club will be in the top flight of English football for next season and after the game, Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker asked Hodgson if the midfielder should go to the World Cup in Russia this summer.
“I think he’s an excellent player, I really do,” the 70-year-old said on the BBC One programme.
“I worked with very good players for England and I would certainly put him up there with the quality of players I worked with.
“I know that if they do decide that he definitely won’t let them down and he’ll provide them with a few options because he’s very, very good on the ball.”
Loftus-Cheek’s impressive performances for Palace this term has already earned him recognition from Three Lions chief Gareth Southgate.
The 22-year-old was named in Southgate’s squad for friendlies with Germany and Brazil in November, playing 90 minutes against the former and being named man-of-the-match.
Now Hodgson, who managed his country for four years between 2012 and 2016, thinks that Loftus-Cheek should be going to the biggest competition in international football.
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