Chelsea are hopeful that they can persuade Ruben Loftus-Cheek that his future lies at the club this season and beyond after his first league start and goal in the surprise defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night.

The 22-year-old has been weighing his options over a loan move in January and with his contract expiring in 2021 there is a feeling that he will soon have to make a big call on whether to stay at the club he joined as an eight-year-old. The start against Wolves was his first in the league for Chelsea since April 2016 and a small but significant show of faith in the player.

Sarri is likely to bring Jorginho back into the team ahead of Cesc Fabregas, who started against Wolves, for the game against Manchester City on Saturday. Loftus-Cheek is in competition with Mateo Kovacic and Ross Barkley for a place in the midfield against the defending champions, with the latter having picked up a minor injury that has kept him out the last two games.

The player himself is keeping his options open and will wait to see how much he is used over the Christmas period before committing to staying for the rest of the season. The recently curtailed summer transfer window means that he will have to make an early call if he wants another club to make a serious bid at the end of the season.