Chelsea given an ultimatum which they have no choice but to accept.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has stated on record that he wants to play regular first team football next season throwing down the gauntlet to Chelsea and issuing an ultimatum which, let's face it, we all knew was coming. Will Chelsea accept and finally make him a part of our first team?

I for one have been slightly critical of RLC on here over the past couple of years. I felt as though back then he was too greedy and when he was given opportunities to play in the first team that he became far too focused on himself to try and impress it almost hampered his chances. The loan move to Crystal Palace, despite his injury issues this past year, has been a god-send and he rightly takes his place within the England squad now in Russia.

I personally believe that given a chance here at Chelsea, he can be as good as Frank Lampard and have same levels of influence on the team with hopefully the same success. He literally has it all with fantastic physique, pace, power and excellent ability. He can be a real game changer as we saw with his ten minute cameo for England the other night - he gave us something different and it was really good to see.

We all know of the types of goals he scores, what he has in his locker and just how good he can be but he needs to channel all of that into becoming the all-round box to box midfielder that the club has missed since Frank Lampard left the club. RLC for me is the natural successor in that role. The problem is whether or not the single season at Crystal Palace has been enough for the Chelsea hierarchy to agree to implement him into our first team.

Speaking to the media whilst in Russia, RLC was asked of his future and laid down the gauntlet to Chelsea with an ultimatum that they surely have to accept. He said:

"That’s the key for me next season regarding where I end up: I want to play. I want to play as much as I can. And even this past season I didn’t play as much as I would have liked, because of the injuries and stuff, so I still feel I need a proper season of playing, wherever it is.

I do understand Chelsea are a big club and there is always pressure on managers to win games and trophies. So I understand they might not be willing to take a chance on someone at a bigger club.

Ever since I was in the Chelsea academy, I’ve had that awareness that people were saying I would be the first one to break through since John Terry. I believed I could but the opportunities didn’t quite come for me. It’s hard to keep training at your best but I made sure I did for when the time came, or when I did get opportunities like at Palace. We’ll see what happens. I’m confident in my ability and that I can do well, wherever it is. But I’m not thinking about whether I’m going to play at Chelsea right now. I’m only focused on the tournament.

I like playing on the big stage, so making my debut at Wembley against Germany, the world champions, just made me really excited. I knew Gareth from the under-21s but senior football is a step up. You have to prove yourself at the highest club level to have a chance of getting called up. I have done that.” - Source: The Guardian.

He is spot on in my view. He has been given opportunities at Crystal Palace and with England over the past twelve months and has answered. Surely now RLC should be given that role at Chelsea from next season and beyond?

In my view there is still plenty for RLC to improve on as he continues to develop and get stronger but right now he is at a stage in his career where it could be make or break at Chelsea. I believe he will be much more of an influence at the World Cup starting with England's game against Panama this Sunday and the club will have no choice but to accept his demands.

What do you think?