Romelu Lukaku has just six weeks to save his Chelsea career, says former Blues legend Joe Cole.
The Belgian star completed a big money move from Inter last year, but has struggled since returning to Stamford Bridge, having recently fallen out of the team's starting striker role.
Lukaku has been used almost entirely as a substitute in recent weeks, having scored just five goals in 20 Premier League appearances this season.
What did Cole say about Lukaku?
The Belgian was once again benched for Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace, which ended as a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount.
Prior to Sunday, Lukaku had started each of the club's four FA Cup games, but he was dropped once again as he has failed to score a Premier League goal since the start of the new year.
Next Match
The Belgian was introduced as a late substitute but missed a clear chance late in the match, squandering a chance to make a case to return to the starting XI.
Speaking to ITV Sport after the match, Cole said of Lukaku: "He's got six weeks to save his Chelsea career if he wants it.
"You look at Timo Werner who doesn't give up and when he doesn't score a goal he's offering something else. With Lukaku he wants to be that focal point but he missed a chance and we were in the studio [saying] if it's not going for you, it's not going for you.
"He gets it all wrong, opens his body up and hits the post. And he will be gutted for himself because he's better than that."
Former Manchester United star Roy Keane agreed with Cole's assessment, adding: "He's got to make a change though. It's got to go back to the player. How badly does he want to save his Chelsea career?"
Up next for Chelsea
The Blues have two matches this week as they play host to Arsenal on Wednesday before hosting West Ham on Sunday for their third match in seven days.
Knocked out of the Champions League last week, the club has one more chance to seal a trophy as they look ahead to an FA Cup final encounter against Liverpool on May 14 while continuing to solidify their top four spot in the Premier League.
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