Nigel Reo-Coker foresaw a change of scenery away from Chelsea for Romelu Lukaku once the campaign concludes.
Speaking on the BBC Football Daily podcast, the former Aston Villa midfielder suggested that Lukaku will potentially look to leave in the summer.
Up until just over a month ago, this prediction would’ve seemed ridiculous.
Although the striker had struggled in front of goal, coupled with a lengthy absence through injury, the idea of him calling time early on his club-record return to Stamford Bridge simply didn’t enter anyone’s thinking.
However, this all immediately changed after the 28-year-old’s interview with Sky Italia came to the surface.
In the conversation, which was recorded and published in December, Lukaku seemed to hit out at Thomas Tuchel’s tactics and hinted and wanting to re-join Inter Milan.
Obviously, the Belgian was struck down by a wave of criticism from all corners of the profession.
Tuchel dropped the centre-forward for Chelsea’s crucial Premier League against Liverpool.
Lukaku then issued a public video apology to supporters of the Champions League holders, yet the damage had already been done.
Lukaku looks like a different man
Since these damming statements came to light, he has only scored once across all competitions, at home to Chesterfield in the FA Cup.
Something is still not right in the player who was dubbed the missing piece in Tuchel’s league title-challenging puzzle.
“It’s never going to be the same. We are never going to know what’s happened, unless you are in that room with Tuchel and Lukaku at the training ground,” said Reo-Coker.
“That relationship can’t be mended. I think, for me, he wants to go and it’s difficult because it’s going to reflect on his football.
“He already believes the team don’t play to his strengths. So, it’s a difficult one. You can already see that he hasn’t really been the same.
“We are not seeing the same Lukaku who was literally destroying, manhandling Serie A players for Inter Milan.
“For me, that’s more of a mental thing and that’s going to be a tough thing where Chelsea are going to have to revaluate everything at the end of the season.”
Who fires first?
Now the drama has unfolded and sort of settled, seeing Lukaku walk away from the project at the end of the season wouldn’t be that much of a surprise.
Especially if he did move back to Inter, the team that helped him fall in love with football again.
Selling the expensive recruit for anything less than the original £97.5m (Sky Sports) fee will not be in Roman Abramovich’s remit.
However, reimbursing Lukaku’s transfer cost is highly unlikely, therefore one of the parties must budge on their standpoints.
Chelsea as an organisation usually win this in-house battle.
Keep up to date with all the latest Chelsea news and opinion by following The Chelsea Chronicle’s Facebook and Twitter accounts
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
