Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek Hopes to Emulate 'Best Leader I've Seen' John Terry

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has revealed his desire to become a leader at the club like former captain John Terry.

The 23-year-old joined Chelsea's academy in 2004, the year Terry became Blues skipper.

Asked if he wanted his team-mates to look to him at difficult times as they did with Terry, he told ESPN FC's Liam Twomey:

"Yeah definitely, but I think that comes with a lot of experience. I don't think Chelsea can ever replace John [Terry]. He was the best leader I've seen, not just on the pitch but off it.

"He was always organising and sorting stuff out to make it easier for us. On the pitch he was very vocal and was that character you have at the back who would organise and make you feel safe.

"I've observed that and felt that feeling, and that's something that comes with experience. The more experience I get, then hopefully I can be that person."

As captain, Terry helped Chelsea win five Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

Following a loan spell at Crystal Palace last season, Loftus-Cheek enjoyed his first campaign as a regular in Chelsea's first team, making 40 appearances. He only started 17 matches, though, making his return of 10 goals and five assists all the more impressive.

The England international hit double figures in goals during the Europa League semi-final to help the Blues earn a 2-2 draw on aggregate against Eintracht Frankfurt, which they went on to win on penalties (U.S. and UK only, respectively):

In the Premier League, the London native made just six starts, but based on the time he spent on the pitch, he compared well with one of the division's top midfielders:

Goal's Nizaar Kinsella is impressed with his character, too:

Having come through the ranks at Stamford Bridge, Loftus-Cheek is aware of the impact Terry had during his time at the club. The two shared a dressing room with him before the 38-year-old left for Aston Villa in 2017; Terry is an assistant coach for the Villans.

Emulating him will be no mean feat, but the midfielder is already showing signs that he'll be an outstanding player for Chelsea and a leader in his own right.