There are a number of English players currently playing in Italy, notably Chelsea’s former duo of Tammy Abraham (Roma) and Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan). This first article covers half of the 7 English nationals currently kicking their trade in Italy.

1. Tammy Abraham

A UEFA Champions League winner with Chelsea and a graduate of Cobham, Tammy Abraham made a move to Italy’s capital in the summer of 2021. Since then, Abraham has been Roma’s first-choice striker, making 78 appearances and scoring 25 goals (with 8 assists) when fit. However, Abraham’s season has been halted by a serious knee injury to the anterior cruciate ligament. Consequently, Abraham hasn’t featured once this season, finally making the bench in Roma’s last game against Sassuolo. Roma’s addition of Romelu Lukaku on loan also raises questions about the remainder of this season as well as the next, with Lukaku rumoured to be joining the Giallorossi permanently in the summer.

Abraham, during his time in England, played 3 full seasons for Chelsea, scoring 26 goals in 89 appearances. He played during a time when Chelsea was given a two-year transfer ban in 2019 – this gave him the chance to secure a spot at the Bridge. However, once the ban was lifted and Bundesliga duo Timo Werner and Kai Havertz were brought in, Abraham saw less game time and moved on as he switched London for Rome. The striker has been praised for his goalscoring ability during his time in the two capitals.

With 18 goals in his first season in Italy, he showcased his poacher’s touch, with particular note on the central and box positions he takes up. Abraham has the ability to create chances for himself, with his excellent movement and strength, as well as posing a real aerial threat standing at 6ft 3. His 8 assists for Roma also suggest he has a real ability to link attacks, with his capacity to drop in, turn, and feed other attackers he’s played alongside, such as El Shaarawy and Dybala. If back from injury in time, Abraham will hope he can make a late surge for Southgate’s Euro squad.

2. Samuel Iling-Junior

The English youngster has broken into Juventus’s first team this season on the left wing. The 20-year-old has impressed for The Old Lady on a number of occasions with 2 goals and an assist in 17 appearances. The Englishman began his career at Chelsea before making a switch to join the Juventus academy at the U19 level in 2020. Since then, he has also played for England’s youth sides; during this international break, he is playing with the U21s. With rapid pace, quick feet, and directness, Iling has been a nightmare both starting and coming off the bench for Juventus this season, and he will look to continue this in the coming years.

Iling has spent 4 years in Italy now and has integrated into the culture at such a young age, as well as being able to speak the language. The Englishman possesses raw talent, which he can fine-tune in Italy; his raw talent is noticeable—fast, strong, and direct. He has been linked with a move back to England this season, with a return to London for Tottenham, who have been linked with him for £20 million. However, reports coming out of Italy suggest that Iling-Junior is happy at Juventus and is focused on building up his game. With a plethora of young wingers in the ranks of the England setup, Iling-Junior will definitely be looking to continue his positive trajectory to be in contention in the future.

3. Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Many in England know the name Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but he may just be the most underrated central midfielder that an option for England. Once again left out of Southgate’s squad in the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, the rejuvenated midfielder has had a season to remember for AC Milan. Loftus-Cheek epitomizes the perfect box-to-box midfielder: strong, fast, extremely technical, with quick feet, and adept in a tackle. He has been a mainstay in the second-placed AC Milan, featuring 25 times with 5 goals and 2 assists.

The Englishman was a Premier League regular before his move to Milan, amassing 157 appearances while playing for the likes of Fulham, Crystal Palace, and his parent club Chelsea. Loftus-Cheek moved to Milan at the start of this season as Chelsea brought in three midfielders for massive sums of money (Lavia, Caicedo, Fernández). These transfers necessitated a move away, despite Loftus-Cheek’s impressive performances for both Fulham (21/22) and Chelsea (22/23). Since then, Loftus-Cheek has impressed and really showcased his talents at the San Siro.

I believe that Loftus-Cheek is being severely overlooked as an option for Southgate. His player profile would be perfect alongside Rice and Bellingham, allowing Bellingham to push into the number 10 position, with Loftus-Cheek being an ideal number 8 with such an all-rounded game. He is capable of covering for Bellingham as well as providing a good attacking outlet. Stay tuned, as a Loftus-Cheek analysis piece is on the way. Enough said—get him on the plane.