There’s a version of Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s career that was supposed to be different — and a version that still might be. After years of injury setbacks, the AC Milan midfielder found himself back in an England shirt in October 2025, seven years after his previous cap, before a freak jaw injury in February 2026 put his World Cup summer in doubt.
Current Club: AC Milan · Kit Number: 8 · Date of Birth: 23 January 1996 (age 30) · Position: Central Midfield · England Caps: 10 · Transfer Fee from Chelsea: €20 million
Quick snapshot
- Exact weekly wages are not published; media estimates are the only public yardstick.
- Whether he leaves AC Milan in 2026 remains speculation from agent chatter, not official club confirmation.
- How quickly the jaw heals will decide whether he is fit before England names its World Cup squad.
- The injury happened during a 1-0 Serie A defeat at Parma; Loftus-Cheek went off early after a collision in the box (beIN SPORTS).
- AC Milan’s initial recovery estimate was around eight weeks (beIN SPORTS). (beIN SPORTS)
- A potential return around mid-to-late April 2026 would leave a tight window before the World Cup begins in June (AC Milan (recovery update)).
Nine data points, one pattern: Loftus-Cheek keeps being judged on availability as much as ability.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ruben Loftus-Cheek |
| Date of Birth | 23 January 1996 |
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| National Team | England (10 caps, 0 goals as of Sep 2025) |
| Current Club | AC Milan |
| Kit Number | 8 |
| Market Value | €15 million (Transfermarkt estimate) |
| Weekly Wage (est.) | £90,000 |
| Transfer Fee Paid by AC Milan | €20 million + add-ons |
What kit number does Ruben Loftus-Cheek wear?
The direct answer is 8. AC Milan list him as squad number 8, a shirt he has worn since his move from Chelsea. Before that, at Stamford Bridge, he wore 12 during his breakthrough and later took 6 for a stretch.
Number 8 at Milan
- Current AC Milan squad number: 8.
- Previous Chelsea numbers: 12 and 6.
- Shirt numbers are assigned by the club and can change every season.
The implication: the number matters only because it gives fans a quick tag — the real question is whether he stays fit long enough to wear it through the summer.
Which Chelsea players have played for AC Milan?
Milan’s recruiting department has looked at Chelsea’s surplus players more than once. Three recent cases frame Loftus-Cheek’s move.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
- Joined AC Milan in July 2023 after 155 senior appearances for Chelsea.
- Plays as a central midfielder with late runs into the box.
- His arrival gave Milan a midfield runner they had been missing.
Fikayo Tomori
- Left Chelsea in 2021, initially on loan and then permanently.
- Became a regular starter at centre-back.
- His success helped normalise Chelsea-to-Milan moves.
Olivier Giroud
- Joined Milan in 2021 after winning the Champions League with Chelsea.
- Led the attack and became a veteran presence in a young squad.
The reverse of the pattern: Charles De Ketelaere
- Sometimes grouped with Chelsea names because of transfer links, but he arrived from Club Brugge, not Chelsea.
- He later spent a loan at Atalanta, not at Milan.
The pattern: Milan did not buy Chelsea’s leftovers; they bought specific profiles. Loftus-Cheek fitted one of the few gaps left in midfield.
How much does Ruben Loftus-Cheek earn per week?
No official wage figure exists in the public domain. The estimate that sticks is around £90,000 gross per week, based on figures from the time of his Chelsea exit and data from salary trackers.
Reported salary
- Estimated pay at AC Milan: roughly £90,000 per week gross.
- Reported Chelsea wage before the move was in a similar range.
- Net take-home is lower after Italian income tax, which is not always reflected in headline figures.
How Milan’s wage bill compares
- Milan’s top earners are paid above £100,000 per week.
- Loftus-Cheek’s reported level puts him in the middle-to-upper band.
- His estimated wage suggests Milan viewed him as a starter, not a squad player.
The trade-off: a £90,000 weekly wage sounds secure, but for a player with his injury history, every contract is a bet on availability.
What happened to Ruben Loftus’ cheek?
The phrase “Ruben Loftus’ cheek” is a search query, not a medical report. His surname is Loftus-Cheek. The double-barrelled name gets broken apart online, and the joke writes itself after any facial injury.
The name, not the injury
- Official club lines use “Loftus-Cheek” with a hyphen.
- Double-barrelled surnames often combine two family names.
- The February 2026 injury involved the alveolar process of the jaw, not the cheekbone (AC Milan).
A common misconception
- Searchers type “Loftus cheek” because the name sounds like a descriptive phrase.
- Headlines and social posts play on the ambiguity.
- The facial trauma was real; the surname was always one word with a hyphen.
Why this matters: in the age of search, a name is a query. Loftus-Cheek has spent part of his career being searched for the wrong reason.
How much did AC Milan pay for Ruben Loftus Cheek?
The fee was widely reported at the time as €20 million, with up to €4 million in add-ons. Chelsea had invested years in his development; Milan paid for the ceiling he had rarely reached.
The €20 million deal
- Base fee paid to Chelsea: €20 million.
- Add-ons: up to €4 million, dependent on appearances and team achievements.
- Loftus-Cheek signed a long-term contract with Milan.
Why Milan viewed it as a value move
- At 27, Loftus-Cheek was entering a prime window for a midfielder.
- Milan needed someone who could carry the ball past pressure.
- That ball-carrying skill was his signature from youth football.
The catch: €20 million only looks clever if the body holds up. The last two seasons have tested that condition more than most.
Injury and availability snapshot
The 2026 jaw injury has its own medical file, and the rows below show why the timeline is tight.
| Detail | What is known |
|---|---|
| Date of injury | 23 February 2026 |
| Fixture | AC Milan 0-1 Parma, Serie A |
| Incident | Collision with Parma goalkeeper Edoardo Corvi while challenging for a cross (ESPN) |
| Substitution | Off in the 11th minute; Ardon Jashari replaced him (beIN SPORTS) |
| Injury type | Fracture of the alveolar process of the jaw |
| Surgery | Performed at the Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Clinic of ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo |
| Additional damage | Reports described further damage to upper teeth alongside the jaw injury (The Athletic) |
| Concussion | Not diagnosed; Loftus-Cheek remained conscious throughout (The Athletic) |
| Recovery estimate | Around eight weeks (beIN SPORTS) |
| Possible return | Mid-to-late April 2026, subject to medical progress (AC Milan (recovery update)) |
| World Cup start | June 2026 (BBC Sport) |
What this means: the medical updates are encouraging, but the calendar is doing the judging.
An eight-week recovery puts Loftus-Cheek back on the pitch in late April — roughly six weeks before England’s World Cup opener. He will need minutes, fitness and form in that window, not just a clean scan.
The timeline puts Loftus-Cheek in a race against the calendar, not just his own recovery.
Career timeline
From Lewisham to Milan via two separate careers, the dates tell the story.
- : Born in Lewisham, England.
- 2014: Chelsea first-team debut.
- : England senior debut against Spain.
- May 2019: Injured before the Europa League final; missed the match.
- July 2023: Transferred to AC Milan for €20 million.
- : Thomas Tuchel called him back into the England setup after a six-year gap (BBC Sport).
- : First England appearance in seven years, as a substitute in a 3-0 win against Wales (BBC Sport).
- : Fractured his jaw during the Parma match; surgery followed.
- : Potential return around mid-to-late April (AC Milan (recovery update)).
- : 2026 World Cup is scheduled to begin (BBC Sport).
The pattern: every spike in his career has been followed by a fitness test. The 2026 version is no exception.
What’s confirmed, what’s still unclear
Separating the official record from the noise is the fastest way to read this injury story.
Confirmed
- AC Milan confirmed the jaw fracture and successful surgery on 23 February 2026 (AC Milan).
- Loftus-Cheek was conscious and did not suffer a concussion (The Athletic).
- He was substituted in the 11th minute against Parma (beIN SPORTS).
What’s unclear
- Exact weekly earnings remain estimates, not official figures.
- Whether agents offered him to Manchester United and Aston Villa in January 2026 is still club-level gossip.
- Whether he returns before England names its World Cup squad depends on the next six weeks of healing.
The record is clear on the injury facts; the unknowns are about timing and selection.
What the people around him said
“Ruben Loftus-Cheek suffered significant facial trauma resulting in a fracture of the alveolar process of the jaw.”
AC Milan, official statement (AC Milan)
“The worst is behind me.”
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, as reported by ESPN
“The operation to reduce and stabilise the jaw fracture was completely successful.”
AC Milan, medical update (AC Milan)
The official and personal accounts align on one point: the recovery is on track, but the window is narrow.
Bottom line: a race against June
Loftus-Cheek has been here before — not this exact injury, but this exact calendar pressure. He came back from the Europa League final setback, rebuilt his career at Milan, and earned an England recall under Thomas Tuchel. The jaw fracture is the latest obstacle, and the recovery clock is brutal: eight weeks from late February means he should be playing again before the domestic season ends, just in time to make a case for the World Cup. For Tuchel, the decision is becoming clearer: either Loftus-Cheek shows he can play by late April, or the squad is picked without him.
The midfielder who spent years fighting for fitness finally reached an international window. Now he needs one more clean recovery to stay in it.
Loftus-Cheek has faced fitness tests before; this one carries the highest stakes of his career.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s injury history?
He has had multiple setbacks, including an injury before the 2019 Europa League final and, most recently, a fractured jaw in February 2026 that required surgery (AC Milan).
Why did Ruben Loftus-Cheek leave Chelsea?
He left in July 2023 for AC Milan after 155 senior appearances for Chelsea. The move gave him a fresh start away from the club’s crowded midfield and a league that suited his carrying style.
What is his market value?
Transfermarkt’s estimate is around €15 million, a figure that can shift after injury layoffs and contract changes.
How many England caps does he have?
The record shows 10 caps and 0 goals as of September 2025, before his October 2025 appearance against Wales (BBC Sport).
Is Ruben Loftus-Cheek currently injured?
Yes. AC Milan confirmed on 23 February 2026 that he had surgery for a jaw fracture, with an estimated recovery period of around eight weeks (beIN SPORTS).
What position does he play?
He is a central midfielder, physically strong and capable of carrying the ball from deep positions. He stands 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in).
Has Ruben Loftus-Cheek played for England recently?
Yes. He came on as a substitute against Wales in October 2025, his first England appearance in seven years (BBC Sport).
These questions cover the most common queries about his career and injury timeline.
Related reading
- Ansu Fati: Downfall, Current Club, and Future Prospects
- Craig Bellamy: Net Worth, Career & Latest News as Wales Manager
These articles offer similar fact-packed profiles of football careers and transfers.
Oliver Jack Carter Cooper is a staff writer for EveningLedger.uk, covering UK news, politics, business and culture. He works under Editor-in-Chief Edward Langley and Managing Editor Charlotte Reeves, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.