Ruben Loftus-Cheek: 18-year-old promised Jose Mourinho a 'nice bottle of red' before coming on for Chelsea debut

Midfielder made Chelsea debut in 83rd minute in 3-1 Sporting win

Ruben Loftus-Cheek comes on for his Chelsea debut (GETTY IMAGES)

Jose Mourinho has revealed that he asked debutant Ruben Loftus-Cheek to give him a "nice bottle of red wine" as he sent the 18-year-old on in the 83rd minute of Chelsea's 3-1 Champions League win over Sporting on Wednesday night, to which the midfielder replied: "No problem".

Much of the pre-match talk was about the young midfielder, who had been with Chelsea since the age of eight, making his debut.

The manager revealed in his post-match briefing that he said to Loftus-Cheek before sending him on from the substitutes bench: "'I gave you this, you have to give me a nice bottle of red wine’.” Mourinho said Loftus-Cheek replied: “No problem.”

Of the teenager's brief debut Mourinho said: "He showed a very good personality, very positive, not afraid of playing, not afraid to have the ball. He wanted to participate.

"Obviously there were low levels of responsibility. We are qualified, the result is 3-1 and the game is over, but he showed immediately the quality he has. Everyone in the stadium had the feeling we have a kid with talent. So keep going, keep working hard, and hopefully people around him don't disturb the work we are doing with him."

Mourinho speaks with Loftus-Cheek before he came on (GETTY IMAGES)

Chelsea won the match thanks to goals from Cesc Fabregas, Andre Schurrle and John Obi Mikel. The Blues had already qualified as Group G leaders before the final game.