Chelsea CONFIRM the departure of Ruben Loftus-Cheek as the midfielder signs permanent contract with Serie A giants AC Milan

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has officially left Chelsea football club and completed a permanent transfer to AC Milan after 19 years at Stamford Bridge. 

Loftus-Cheek - who joined the Blues as an Under-8 - became the latest causality of the Chelsea clear out following Todd Boehly's £600million splurge last season. 

The 27-year-old has secured a permanent move to the Serie A giants - penning a five-year deal worth a reported £13m. 

Chelsea confirmed the news on their official website, writing: 'We wish Ruben the very best as he begins this next chapter in his career'. 

Loftus-Cheek is not the only player to have left Chelsea this summer. N'Golo Kante and Kalidou Kouilbaly have both left for the Saudi Pro League, while Mason Mount has joined Manchester United.  

Ruben Loftus-Cheek (above) has officially left Chelsea after 19 years at the club 

Loftus-Cheek has made over 200 appearances for the Blues since making his debut in 2014, scoring 16 goals. 

He also earned international recognition with 10 England caps, and a place in the Three Lions' 2018 World Cup squad.

However, he has also found regular game time hard to come by with recent season-long loan spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham.

Last season he made 33 appearances, providing two assists. This is a worrying fact for AC Milan fans who are also concerned about his lack of goals.

In the last five years, he has scored only 12 times. His best season was in 2018-19 when he netted six goals in the Premier League and four in the Europa League under Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea - a manager who has also been interested in bringing him to Lazio.

Last season, he did appear 30 times across all competitions for Chelsea, but could be set for a fresh challenge in Serie A with Milan, where he'd join former team mate Fikayo Tomori.