Thomas Tuchel's passionate Ruben Loftus-Cheek warning a wake-up call to Chelsea academy stars

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Thomas Tuchel's passionate Ruben Loftus-Cheek rant should send the Chelsea academy an alarming wake-up call. The Blues boss insisted that the Cobham graduate must begin to translate his innate gift into consistent performances, should he look to finally cement a role in the side.

The German boss has never doubted Loftus-Cheek's natural footballing ability, but it seems that his true 'breakthrough' remains in question. The 26-year-old midfielder has often shown flashes of brilliance in a Chelsea shirt but he's never quite reached boiling point and Tuchel is looking to change that.

"We knew the player all the time," the Blues boss said during his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace. "It was so promising, but it was always like, will he have his breakthrough? Now, will he have his breakthrough? He is at a certain age now, and he's never had his breakthrough, everybody is still waiting, still waiting for the next step and the next step."

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"We speak a lot about this. He is gifted to be here, and it is a huge, huge opportunity," the Chelsea boss added. "He has everything that it takes – he wouldn't play, or we wouldn't count on him otherwise – but he has heard this for many years, maybe too much. He heard this throughout the academy levels.