Ruben Loftus-Cheek Talks Injury Recovery, Chelsea Youngsters, Best Position

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has said his recovery from injury is "going well" and sees himself operating as a "box-to-box midfielder" when he returns to the side. 

The England international is yet to play this season after suffering a ruptured Achilles during a friendly match in May. 

Despite Loftus-Cheek's absence, Chelsea have been able to shine, with a number of academy graduates coming into the side under new manager Frank Lampard and thriving. After their 2-1 win over Watford on Saturday, the Blues are fourth in the Premier League.

Speaking to Versus (h/t Chris Burton of Goal) Loftus-Cheek said he's itching to get back on the field again soon.

"It's going well! It's been a long time, and I've had a few setbacks as well," he said. "It's never been just a straight path but I'm close now…I've been running and moving, I feel I'm right on the edge. I'm close, and I can't wait."

Loftus-Cheek also shared his delight at seeing a number of players come through the system to cement their place in the side, following in his own footsteps:

"It feels good to be the one who led the way for the boys coming through. 

"It's good to know that the boys look up to you as you have done it before them …and those boys who look up to me will soon have younger boys who will look up to them so it all goes hand-in-hand. The more academy graduates in the team, the better."

Chelsea have been entertaining recently, and in the win over Watford they played some thrilling football:

Lampard has entrusted the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham to be key players in the team this term. At the moment, they are rewarding his faith with some vibrant performances.

In midfield, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic are performing brilliantly too, with Chelsea finding a way to cope without the injured N'Golo Kante as of late. Squawka Football summed up how well the duo controlled the game at Vicarage Road:

It means Loftus-Cheek faces a fight to get back in the side when he does return to fitness, especially given he sees himself operating in a similar role to the trio mentioned.

"I'm most effective as a box-to-box midfielder," said Loftus-Cheek. "Getting up and down, creating and also defending."

When the 23-year-old is match fit again, he will provide Lampard with another high-quality midfield option.

Last season, Loftus-Cheek made strides under former manager Maurizio Sarri, showing he was capable of being an attacking threat from midfield. With a new manager at the helm and his rehabilitation almost complete, the Chelsea academy graduate will now need to prove himself all over again.