West Ham are investigating the possibility of Ruben Loftus-Cheek signing on a season’s loan after the midfielder was left out of Chelsea’s past two matchday squads.

Jacob Steinberg writing for the Guardian says Loftus-Cheek did not make the bench for Chelsea’s defeat by Liverpool on Sunday and there was surprise when Frank Lampard omitted him again for the Carabao Cup win over Barnsley on Tuesday.

The visit from Barnsley seemed the perfect opportunity for the 24-year-old to build sharpness after returning from an achilles injury.

Loftus-Cheek is fully fit but Lampard selected Ross Barkley, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount in midfield. The situation has alerted several clubs in England and Europe to the possibility of a loan. Villa have also been linked with Barkley, who was targeted by West Ham in January.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard commenting on Loftus-Cheek and Antonio Rudiger said:

“The situation with both is that they weren’t in the squad. I had a similar answer from the other day, they just weren’t in the squad. That is just a choice at the moment.’ Again with the centre-halves I can’t have them all in the squad. I keep getting asked about the size of the squad.

‘There might be movement, we know that, but nothing is concrete so don’t read too much into those selections at the minute. ‘It will have to be things which are right for the club and individuals and me and in terms of what happens in the next couple of weeks.’

The move would be surprising after David Sullivan’s comments about too many wide players and the squad being unbalanced but a club insider confirmed the report has legs and enquiries were being made and the Hammers were investigating.