Carrick ‘offered’ 11-cap England int’l who’s ‘keen’ on Premier League move, talks at ‘exploratory stage’

Manchester United have reportedly been ‘offered’ the chance to sign Ruben Loftus-Cheek from AC Milan on loan.That’s according to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, who adds that the 29-year-old is ‘keen’ on a return to the Premier League after spending nine years of his senior career plying his trade in the English top flight. Ruben Loftus-Cheek offered surprise Premier League return move amid talks | @alex_crook https://t.co/bIIslspf4V — talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) January 20, 2026How Loftus-Cheek has fared as of late (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)Loftus-Cheek then swapped his home soil for Italy in 2023, when he joined Milan for an initial £15 million, severing a 19-year association with boyhood club Chelsea.He has since enjoyed revitalised form abroad – so much so that he was recalled to the England setup for the first time in seven years by Thomas Tuchel last October to earn his 11th cap for the Three Lions.This month, Loftus-Cheek is considering how he can add to his 157 Premier League appearances after being made to play a more reduced role in Milan this campaign. Talks with United are believed to be at an ‘exploratory stage’.Should United decide he’s the man they want to bolster Michael Carrick’s midfield amid their Champions League qualification charge, they might need to act quickly.United face competition in potential pursuit of Loftus-Cheek’s signature(Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)John Percy of The Telegraph revealed this morning that Aston Villa have now shortlisted the Chelsea graduate following a potentially season-ending injury to Boubacar Kamara. #avfc consider move for AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek amid fears Boubacar Kamara will miss the rest of the season. Loftus-Cheek emerging as potential option for Unai Emery https://t.co/BbY5PVRHhD — John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) January 21, 2026The Villans are scouring the market for stop-gap options to fill Kamara’s void for the coming months, and Loftus-Cheek is now ‘emerging’ as a serious contender in Unai Emery’s eyes.If both clubs approach the player to table their proposals, Loftus-Cheek might favour a switch to Villa Park, given he could secure increased game time in the league, Europa League and FA Cup – rather than just the league that United can offer.