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Speaking on Show 109 of The West Ham Way, West Ham insider ExWHUemployee expressed that the club are targeting Loftus-Cheek for a January loan deal.

What's the story?

A slew of injuries to the Hammers' starting eleven has seen Manuel Lanzini, Jack Wilshere, Pedro Obiang and Andriy Yarmolenko sidelined, reducing Manuel Pellegrini's options in midfield to the bare bones. The Chilean's side have struggled to find the net in recent weeks as they took zero points from clashes with Brighton and Spurs, and with an injury list that just seems to keep piling up the London club are in dire need of reinforcements, despite spending big in the summer.

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Chelsea, meanwhile, have the luxury of choosing between a number of talented midfielders. The signing of Italian Jorginho in the summer and the resurgence of former Everton man Ross Barkley has seen Loftus-Cheek slip further down the pecking order and the 22-year-old may be regretting his decision to decline another loan move this season. West Ham are looking to give the England international a lifeline.

Could it happen?

The move would make sense for all parties; Loftus-Cheek's performances at Crystal Palace last season saw him called up to the Three Lions senior squad for the first time, but the marauding midfielder has been forced out of the frame as Gareth Southgate sticks to his promise to pick players in form - you can't be 'in form' if you don't play.

The 6 foot 3 Blues academy graduate has been limited to only 33 minutes of Premier League football this season and will be relishing another loan spell in January to remind Southgate and Maurizio Sarri what he can do.

With West Ham's injury crisis, Loftus-Cheek would walk into the lineup and is a perfect replacement for the likes of Wilshere, Sanchez and Obiang while offering West Ham's midfield much more going forward. Valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt, he could be one of the signings of the window even if it just a short term loan deal.

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