Ruben Loftus-Cheek will consider leaving Chelsea if he is not given assurances about regular first-team football. The 22-year-old looks set to replace the injured Dele Alli in England's Group G fixture with Panama on Sunday, having impressed in a cameo appearance against Tunisia. Loftus-Cheek, a product of Chelsea's academy, has found opportunities hard to come by at Stamford Bridge, but played 26 times on loan at Crystal Palace in 2017-18 as the club steered clear of a relegation battle. The England midfielder still has three years left on his contract with the west London club, but acknowledges he needs to be playing regularly so his career does not stagnate. "That’s the key for me next season regarding where I end up. I want to play. I want to play as much as I can," he said. "Even this past season I didn’t play as much as I would have liked to because of the injuries. So I still feel I need a proper season of playing. "I do understand Chelsea is a big club and there is always pressure on managers to win games and trophies. "We’ll see what happens. I’m confident in my ability and that I can do well, wherever it is." Loftus-Cheek’s future at the club may be determined by the club's next manager with Chelsea yet to confirm reports Maurizio Sarri is set to take over from Antonio Conte.

Kalidou Koulibaly is confident Maurizio Sarri will be a success at Chelsea and believes the former Napoli coach would ‘change’ the style of football at Stamford Bridge. Sarri has been holding talks with Chelsea over a deal to take over from Antonio Conte and he has already been replaced at Napoli by Carlo Ancelotti. If Sarri is appointed manager at Chelsea, he is keen to target some of his former players, including Senegal international defender Koulibaly. The centre-half was the subject of a summer-long pursuit by Chelsea in 2016, and was again wanted 12 months ago, but he has suggested he will be staying at Napoli to work with Sarri’s successor Ancelotti. “They [Chelsea] can expect nice football because he is a very good coach,” Koulibaly told Talksport about Sarri. "I'm disappointed that he leaves like this, but we have now a big coach [Carlo Ancelotti]. We know we can win something with him. "I hope he will win something with Chelsea because he's a nice coach. When a coach like this comes he needs time. So, I think they have to give him time because he will change the football of Chelsea, I think. "At Napoli we enjoyed it very much as players and the supporters enjoyed it very much. At Chelsea I think it will be the same." Koulibaly signed for Napoli in 2014 from Belgian side Genk and has become one of the best, and most sought-after, defenders in world football after four impressive seasons in Serie A. However, despite fresh interest from Chelsea this summer, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has identified Koulibaly as one of the players who is too important to lose. "Not just one!," said De Laurentiis, when questioned about the players who cannot leave the club. "Koulibaly is unapproachable and with him also [Piotr] Zielinski and with them [Marko] Rog."

Eden Hazard has been told by former Belgium assistant manager Vital Borkelmans that “now is the moment” to leave Chelsea, while Thibaut Courtois, Marouane Fellaini and Toby Alderweireld are also tipped to be on the move. A difficult 2017-18 campaign for Chelsea and the ongoing uncertainty that has brought in both a playing and coaching capacity has seen plenty of high-profile figures linked with summer moves away from Stamford Bridge. Hazard is chief among them, with the 27-year-old playmaker having been mooted as a Real Madrid target for some time now as he continues to leave the exit door open in west London. Borkelmans believes this could be the summer in which a big-money transfer is done, with the time having arrived for a man considered to be a member of the global elite to prove that he truly belongs in that company. He told bwin: “I think now is the moment that Hazard has to move, which will most likely be to Spain. “He has played a lot of years in the Premier League, but I think it’s time for him to move on.” Hazard could well be joined in Spain next season by current club and international colleague Courtois, with the Chelsea goalkeeper another long-standing target for Madrid. Borkelmans added on the 26-year-old’s future: “If the club are offered good money, then I think he will go. “He likes Chelsea and is happy there, but it could be time for him to make a transfer to another country for a different type of competition.” While Chelsea may be facing a fight to keep two prized assets, they are expected to welcome another Belgian back onto their books in the form of Michy Batshuayi – who impressed on loan at Borussia Dortmund last season before picking up an unfortunate injury. “Batshuayi won’t leave until he finds out what’s going on with the managerial status at Chelsea,” said Borkelmans. “He wants to play first-team football, but if Chelsea find a new manager and Batshuayi fits the role, then he will stay. “He was successful at Dortmund and they will want to keep him, so that’s always an option, but he is a great player, especially in the box, as he always has a knack of finding space.” Of the other Belgians being linked with moves elsewhere this summer, Borkelmans feels the end of the road may have been reached for Fellaini and Alderweireld at Manchester United and Tottenham respectively. He said on reported Arsenal target Fellaini: “He may have to leave to find regular football, he likes to play and wants to get a lot of games, but if he can’t then he may have to move on.” And added on United-linked Alderweireld: “I think Alderweireld will leave this window and he may take the chance to move abroad. [Mousa] Dembele may do the same as well, as every team is looking to have a player like Alderweireld or Dembele. “They’ve played a few years at Tottenham now and for as many good players that Tottenham have brought in, they have also lost some.”

Gianfranzo Zola could be heading back to Chelsea this summer regardless of whether or not Maurizio Sarri becomes the club’s new manager, says the Italian’s agent. Amid much talk of change at Stamford Bridge, Antonio Conte is still to be relieved of his duties. With the Premier League title winner still at the helm and little progress having been made in pursuit of Sarri, who remains tied to a contract at Napoli despite having been replaced, the Blues find themselves in coaching limbo. They may, however, decide to bring an iconic figure back to west London, with Zola’s representative claiming that a position with Chelsea is not tied to Sarri arriving alongside him. Fulvio Marrucco told Radio Kiss Kiss: “Sarri to Chelsea? I can only answer for Zola: I don’t know if Sarri will be the new Blues coach. “The first step is the possible sacking of Conte. After that, Chelsea will have to reach an agreement with Napoli and then Sarri. “I’ve never met the Blues, but the idea of Zola going there doesn’t run parallel to Sarri’s arrival in London. “Zola’s a legend there. We must clarify what the role of my client will be.” Zola took in 311 games for Chelsea during a distinguished playing career. Having joined the club in 1996, he departed seven years later having netted 80 goals and tasted two FA Cup wins, a Cup Winners’ Cup triumph and a UEFA Super Cup success.