Ruben Loftus-Cheek must stay at Chelsea! Maurizio Sarri has taken him to 'the next level', says Dennis Wise

Dennis Wise believes Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has reached "another level" under Maurizio Sarri this season, and should not consider leaving on loan in January.

Loftus-Cheek began the campaign behind Ross Barkley and Mateo Kovacic in the midfield pecking order at Chelsea, but has shown steady improvement to score six goals in all competitions - which resulted in Sarri recently insisting the 22-year-old will not be allowed to leave on loan this winter.

Loftus-Cheek spent a positive 2017-18 season on loan at Crystal Palace but, with the England international being used increasingly by Sarri, Wise believes he should remain at Stamford Bridge and fight for his first-team place.

When asked whether Loftus-Cheek, who is set to start against MOL Vidi in the Europa League on Thursday evening, should consider moving away on loan in January, Wise exclusively told Standard Sport: "No, I don't think he should.

"He [Sarri] has played him a number of times. He's got competition for places but why would Loftus-Cheek want to go on loan?

"I'll pick Crystal Palace just because he went there on loan. Why would you want to go there on loan, to a team where you'll play a lot of games but you'll be in a battle down the bottom when you can play in a team full of top international players, fighting to win trophies and trying to get in the Champions League?

"I think he's improved so much. This is a process for him and I think it's important he stays at Chelsea and he fights. He's very close to being one of the players who could take one of those shirts and stay in there and he has to carry that on until the end of the season.

"He's got the opportunity to do it now that he's thought of in a different way than when he went out on loan. Maurizio said it: he won't go out on loan. He's stepped up to another level. He will be the one fighting for that offensive spot."

One player who has provided Loftus-Cheek with competition for a midfield starting spot this season is Kovacic, who is spending the current campaign on loan from Real Madrid.

It is believed Chelsea are exploring the possibility of signing the Croatia international on a permanent basis next summer but, even if the 24-year-old does stay on with the Blues, Wise does not think it will negatively impact Loftus-Cheek's chances of playing more.

"You have competition, you have Ross Barkley. They are all fighting. Kovacic can play a little bit deeper, he can play forward. No, I don't think it will affect him," Wise, who played for Chelsea between 1990 and 2001, said.

"Football is about competition, and not only against opposition but playing in front of your teammates. And Loftus-Cheek must compete wherever he goes. He has got to a different level. Therefore, he needs to stay at Chelsea and go to the next level where he is the main person on that teamsheet."

Dennis Wise was speaking as he launched the inaugural ‘Sportsperson with a Personality Award’, sponsored by kwiff - the only sports betting app where any bet could be supercharged. To view the full list of nominees and vote, head to: www.kwiff.com/swapa