Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is convinced Ruben Loftus-Cheek can became a top player for the club.
The 18-year old midfielder made his debut for the west London club when replacing Cesc Fabregas in the 83rd minute of the 3-1 win over Sporting Lisbon at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
Loftus-Cheek held his own in the dying minutes of the Group G fixture and Mourinho is confident that the England U19 international will go on to be a key figure at Chelsea.
"Obviously he has a lot to improve but he has great potential. If people around him don't make things difficult for me, he can be a big player," said Mourinho on Sky Sports 1 HD.
Loftus-Cheek has been with the Blues since joining the youth academy as an eight-year old in 2004 and has amassed over 30 appearances for the U21 side. He has also scored six goals in 10 outings for the England U19s.
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