Former Crystal Palace and England manager Sam Allardyce has claimed that one of the Eagles’ summer signings, Ruben Loftus-Cheek could have been another Dele Alli or Harry Kane if he had left Chelsea sooner.
His comments come in an interview with the Press Association ahead of the new Premier League season only a matter of weeks away. Crystal Palace face FC Metz on Saturday in their final pre-season game abroad, one of which Loftus-Cheek could play more of a part in as his fitness improves.
The on-loan midfielder was Frank de Boer’s first signing after he joined the club, prior to which the Chelsea player only featured on 31 occasions since making his debut in 2014. Now, Allardyce fears that his development has been hit.
“It’s nice to see Ruben Loftus-Cheek going to Crystal Palace,” Allardyce told the Press Association.
“I think if he’d done it five years ago he may well have been another Dele Alli or Harry Kane but unfortunately his development has been blocked by staying at Chelsea so long.
“There aren’t enough (players) getting into first-team football as quickly as possible. You should be playing first-team football at some level at 17, not 20 or 21. Dele Alli is the pefect example of that, coming through the ranks at MK Dons.
“We need more players playing football at league level and ultimately going back to their club and trying to prove themselves.”
