Ruben Loftus-Cheek took another step forward in his recovery from Achilles surgery today after playing 60 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
The 23-year-old featured for Chelsea's development squad against Brentford B in a 2-0 defeat.
The Blues' first-team squad are on their Premier League winter break but Loftus-Cheek is using the 16-day hiatus to improve his fitness having been sidelined since May, when he ruptured his Achilles tendon against New England Revolution.
There is no timeframe set for his return but today’s outing marks further progress after he spent a period with the under-16s and the under 23s before training alongside the first-team.
Should he suffer no adverse reaction, Loftus-Cheek is likely to feature in similar matches this month.
There remains the possibility a special game could be organised but as things stand, Chelsea’s next development squad fixture is away at Arsenal on February 17 – the same night the first-team faces Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking prior to last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Leicester, Lampard said of Loftus-Cheek: “He’ll have to get some minutes. He’s had a full week of training with us for the first time and he has come through it.
“It’s great to see him but he looks short, he knows he’s short, you couldn’t not be after he has been out for so long.
“So yes, 23s progression and hopefully after the break we can talk about him more when he is going to come back into the squad.”
