West Ham United could make a January loan swoop for Chelsea youngster Ruben Loftus-Cheek, according to reports in Italy.
Tuttomercatoweb claims that the talented midfielder could be set to head across London to team up with the Hammers once the winter transfer window opens in just six weeks' time.
Loftus-Cheek is highly rated at Stamford Bridge, but has seen his progression in the starting line up halted by senior stars such as Nemanja Matic and N'Golo Kante, as well as suffering a few injuries during his rise through the youth ranks.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte may be open to the possibility of allowing Loftus-Cheek to leave the Blues in January, but the Italian insists such a move would only be on loan and that any attempt to prise the starlet away on a permanent basis would be given short shrift by himself and the board.
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic could now look to bolster his own squad with the temporary acquisition of the 20-year-old as he plots a way to move his side up the league table after a below-par start to the season.
The Irons sit just one place above the relegation zone after 11 matches of the 2016/17 campaign, with a run of terrible results and a whole host of injuries to key players only adding to the woes they have suffered since the club moved into its new home at the Olympic Stadium.
Infighting among the home crowd has done little to ease the tensions at the club in recent months, and Bilic and his first-team squad must rectify their lowly position as quickly as possible if they are to prevent a dramatic fall from grace after finishing in sixth position in last season's league standings.
Loftus-Cheek, who has made 24 first-team appearances for Chelsea, becomes the third Blues player to be linked with a move across the capital over the past few weeks, with fellow squad members Asmir Begovic and Cesc Fabregas also reportedly interesting West Ham.
Read more from Tom Power by following him on twitter!