Chelsea superstar unhappy with his role under Thomas Tuchel: Reports

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is unhappy with his role under Thomas Tuchel, according to reports.

The Belgian striker returned to Stamford Bridge in a sensational move from Inter Milan for a club-record £97.5 million back in August.

He hit the ground running but Lukaku's drop in form followed by a lengthy injury lay-off threatened to derail his season.

However, lately, the striker has been coming off the bench, a role he's not content with, although Tuchel has reiterated his importance to the side.

The German manager has vowed that Lukaku will regain his starting position once he's fully ready.

The 28-year-old's heroic cameo against Aston Villa this week should have provided him with food for thought too.

However, a return of just six goals in 17 games in all competitions is a sign that Lukaku is underperforming.

If his goalscoring average doesn't improve, then there's a chance that Lukaku might as well leave Stamford Bridge just a year after his arrival.

Chelsea will be in action against Brighton later tonight in their final league game of 2021 and Lukaku will be hoping to bag a few more.

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Lukaku is vital to Chelsea's fortunes and could still turn the tide

Lukaku proved his worth to Chelsea after coming off the bench in their win against Aston Villa, scoring once and winning a penalty.

He was in inspired form at Villa Park, using his physicality to bully defenders. His display was surely a welcome sight for the Chelsea faithful.

His raft of health issues (ankle injury and COVID-19) has blighted his campaign so far but all's not lost yet.

Tuchel has been very careful in not overloading the player with minutes and the tactic seems to be working, with the player slowly coming back to form.

Lukaku still has time to hit his peak and at 28, he's currently in the prime of his life.

Chelsea have a congested fixture list coming up in January, with a triple-header against Tottenham Hotspur and league games to Liverpool and Manchester City also scheduled.

It's another opportunity for Lukaku to step up to the plate.