Newcastle United have been installed as the favourites to sign rising Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer, according to the latest bookmakers’ odds.
Sky Bet have priced the north-east giants at 3/1 to land the central midfielder, 21, before the transfer window shuts in early September.
Newcastle are ahead in the betting race of rival Premier League clubs Watford (7/2), Bournemouth (8/1), Stoke (12/1) and Crystal Palace (14/1).
The odds have dropped sharply on Newcastle landing Loftus-Cheek, as they were a relatively distant 12/1 at the end of May.
This comes after reports in various media outlets, including the Mirror, that the Premier League champions are ready to send Loftus-Cheek out on loan for the 2017-18 campaign.
It is said that the Chelsea central midfielder has held talks with another top-flight club about a transfer although it does not go as far as to say that club in Newcastle.
Rafael Benitez’s side have already signed one player from Stamford Bridge this summer, with Christian Atsu converted his loan from last season into a permanent £5million transfer.
They have been strongly linked with a number of other new signings, but the only other arrival to date is French defender Florian Lejeune.
Loftus-Cheek has genuine pedigree after accumulating 17 England Under-21 appearances and is highly thought of at Chelsea even though he has been unable to nail down a first-team spot after graduating from the club’s youth team ranks.
The youngster, whose Stamford Bridge contract has four years remaining, has made 32 first-team appearances but most of those have been as a substitute.