"I left Chelsea to get game time" admits Ruben Loftus-Cheek
That is according to Danny Murphy.
Loftus-Cheek joined Crystal Palace on a season-long loan over the summer.
The 21-year-old found it hard to nail down a first-team spot at the Blues last term, but has began his loan spell at Selhurst Park well despite the Eagles being bottom of the table.
Conte went on a spending spree in the last window and brought in the likes of Alvaro Morata and Tiemoue Bakayoko from Real Madrid and Monaco.
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Ruben Loftus-Cheek was allowed to leave Chelsea on loan by Antonio Conte
I think if Conte kept him, he wouldn’t be knocking on his door and asking about not playing every game
Danny Murphy
But he missed out on several key targets, including Romelu Lukaku who joined Manchester United from Everton.
And Murphy thinks squad balance is essential and reckons it wasn’t wise from Conte to dispense with Loftus-Cheek.
“Conte moaning about the squad could be a nudge to the owners,” Murphy told Sky Sports’ Debate Show.
“They let Nathaniel Chalobah, Dominic Solanke and Loftus-Cheek go.
“I think the important thing looking at a squad with lots of games is you have to have a group of players that is balanced.
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Danny Murphy thinks Antonio Conte should have let Ruben Loftus-Cheek stay at Chelsea this summer
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“You can’t just have top class players, because they will be knocking on your door the whole time asking why they aren’t playing.
“With Loftus-Cheek, I have seen him a few times this season and I really like him, and maybe he was desperate to go and play I’m not sure.
“I think if Conte kept him, he wouldn’t be knocking on his door and asking about not playing every game.
“As long as he’s getting some game time and filling in for a game or two, that’s how you get your squad.”
