Romelu Lukaku in training for Inter Milan. (imago Images)
According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato (h/t Football.London), Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge as the Blues don’t want to back a striker that doesn’t fit in Graham Potter’s system.
The Belgian international is also believed to be averse to rejoining the west London outfit. Lukaku was loaned out to Inter Milan this summer after having a poor first season under manager Thomas Tuchel.
The German manager clearly lost faith in Lukaku towards the end of last season the club-record signing was not seeing regular starts. It was clear he wasn’t high in the pecking order when he was benched for the EFL Cup against Liverpool earlier this year.
Chelsea let him leave and negotiated a fee with I Nerazzurri for Lukaku’s loan deal. Now, there is an option to extend the former Manchester United and Everton striker’s stay at Inter beyond the summer of 2023.
His current deal at Chelsea expires in the summer of 2026. We signed him for a fee of £97.5million under Tuchel but in hindsight, he has truly turned out to be a very big misjudgment by the club.
Chelsea signed a high-profile striker for the third summer signing. Timo Werner, who has now returned to RB Leipzig on a permanent basis, was signed in 2020. Lukaku came in a year later, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined us from FC Barcelona this summer.
The club seems to be going about the striker conundrum in a haphazard manner, signing whichever big name they can see and afford. But under Todd Boehly and new manager Potter, things must change.
The Blues must bide their time and find a centre-forward that truly has the ability to stay here for several years and lead the line with effectiveness. Aubameyang, as good as he may be, is already 33 and cannot keep playing forever.
As for Lukaku, it seems best to cut our losses but the club must at least wait until the summer of 2023 to see, for one last time, if he really can be Chelsea’s number 9 from next season onwards.
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