Jamie Carragher thinks that Chelsea may be forced into selling Romelu Lukaku if his form doesn't improve by the end of the season.
The Belgian's hugely anticipated return to Stamford Bridge hasn't exactly gone to plan so far.
With just five goals to his name in 15 Premier League appearances, the striker has looked a shadow of the player he was at Inter Milan last season.
The controversy surrounding an interview where he suggested he would like to return to Inter one day obviously hasn't helped proceedings, but his form since his return hasn't been good enough for a player seemingly worth £97.5million.
And Carragher thinks that's because he hasn't actually changed much since he left Manchester United in 2019.
"When Romelu Lukaku signed for Chelsea, the consensus was that he was a different player to that which left Manchester United," Carragher wrote in his Telegraph column.
"Six months later, there is only one valid observation to make about his return to Stamford Bridge. He isn't.
"All the talk about how a couple of years working with this weekend's opponent, Antonio Conte, have elevated Lukaku's game tactically has proven premature. Thomas Tuchel is managing the same striker who prompted Manchester United to run out of patience and sell him to Inter Milan.
"That’s why I can’t help but think there is a time-bomb in the Chelsea dressing room, with the player and club already losing patience with each other."
Carragher went onto admit that the injury that kept Lukaku out between October and November has made it a little more difficult for Chelsea's frontman.
However, the former Liverpool centre-back warned that if the Belgian doesn't turn his form around in the coming months, the Blues may have to sell him in the summer and seek alternative options.
"In fairness to him, Lukaku's injury is a mitigating circumstance which cannot be ignored," Carragher added. "That has played its part in swiftly undermining the arguments when he was seen as the 'final piece of the jigsaw' to make Chelsea Premier League winners.
"Remember when Chelsea played Liverpool in August and the match preview was all about the 'heavyweight' clash between Lukaku and Virgil van Dijk? How long ago does that seem now? Lukaku has not looked in fighting shape since his comeback, that's for sure.
"If his form does not improve it will become a problem the club will have to consider between now and the end of the season, weighing up as to whether they will need another solution up front when planning for a renewed title bid next year."
