Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier has hinted that it was no surprise to him to see Chelsea loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek perform well for the England national team on Friday.
Loftus-Cheek, 21, received his first ever senior international cap as the Three Lions held world champions Germany to a 0-0 draw in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium.
The youngster played the full 90 minutes and he produced a mature performance and he was one of the standout performers for Gareth Southgate’s side.
Loftus-Cheek is enjoying a loan spell with Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace where he has already made eight appearances in all competitions, contributing with three assists in the process.
It was also a memorable evening for Dier, 23, who was given the captain’s armband for his country for the first time in his footballing career.
After the match, Dier admitted that Loftus-Cheek’s performance should not be a surprise as he has been given the chance to play football regularly in the English top-flight.
“Everyone has known of Ruben’s potential for a long time,” he said as quoted in the Evening Standard.
“I think it is great now that he is at Crystal Palace and playing week in and week out, that is only going to help his development.
“It is great that we are seeing the potential that everyone has been talking about and now it is up to him to keep pushing himself, keep working hard and looking to improve.”
OPINION
It was fantastic to see young Loftus-Cheek perform so well at such a young age against one of the most feared teams on the international stage. The youngster’s performance demonstrates that he is ready to become an important member of the Chelsea first-team but it’s the club who are unwilling to put their faith in him. The fact that Dier has come out and stated that the players have known of the midfielder’s ability shows that the Blues need to seriously look at their policy regarding young players and give them an opportunity in the first-team. England fans will be hopeful that Loftus-Cheek can continue his progression at the Selhurst Park and if he is not guaranteed regular football at Chelsea next season, he should assess his options and leave the club.