Aston Villa eye move for AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek | OneFootball

Aston Villa are considering a move for AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

According to The Telegraph, the Villans are exploring a move for the 29-year-old to cover the devastating blow of losing key midfielder Boubacar Kamara to injury.

Kamara is set to miss the rest of the season after he was forced off just nine minutes into Villa’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup third round.

Villa were initially optimistic that the issue wouldn’t keep him out for too long.

However, further scans have confirmed the worst-case scenario for Unai Emery’s side, with the midfielder expected to miss Villa’s final 16 Premier League games.

It is another cruel setback for Kamara, who previously spent eight months sidelined in 2024 with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament after joining Villa from Olympique Marseille.

Kamara’s injury blow has forced Villa to revise their plans for the winter transfer window, with the Birmingham club now looking for solutions.

Loftus-Cheek is one of several options on Villa’s extensive shortlist.

The Englishman already has plenty of Premier League experience under his belt and should hit the ground running if Villa formalise their interest with an official proposal.

Loftus-Cheek moved to Milan in the summer of 2023 after spending over a decade at Chelsea. He has gradually rebuilt his career in Italy and is close to hitting the 100-game mark for the Rossoneri.

He may not get there if Villa lure him back to the Premier League this month. But after loan spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham, the Villans would be getting an experienced and versatile midfielder.

Loftus-Cheek has featured 23 times for Milan across all competitions this season. He has featured 19 times in Serie A, returning a goal and an assist, although he has only started eight times.

Whether he’s the right option to step in for Kamara remains to be seen, considering how important the Frenchman is to Emery’s brand of football.

Villa have lost just twice in games where Kamara has started this season. It’s difficult to replace a player of his calibre, and Villa can’t afford to get it wrong.

Villa could reunite Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham for the third time following spells at Chelsea and Milan. Reports claim Emery’s side are also weighing up a move for the Besiktas striker.