🇧🇪 Romelu Lukaku

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

I'm fairly convinced he'll walk by now.

Many of you are calling him stupid, but he's smart enough to know he'll never be the first choice striker for Chelsea in the next few years. He'll take a small step back (I think he'll want to stay at Everton if it was up to him), keep scoring them goals and be bought by one of the top teams again when he's 24-25.

Doesn't make sense for me. Why go there on a transfer and wait for someone to buy you in three or four years time when you can go there on loan from Chelsea? If he really wants to stay there, then let him stay at Everton for three years, on loan, just like Courtois.

But I think it's too early to talk about him leaving Chelsea. Of course he's not ready yet to lead the line, but at the same time Jose is not that stupid to sell one of the best prospects in European football. Imagine him going to Atletico and tearing La Liga apart. Then Paris comes and gets him for £50M. Jose knows he can't do that. He'll loan him until he will consider his time has come to lead the line.

But no way Chelsea will sell him this summer. As a matter of fact, if Lukaku was an Everton player, I bet we would have had a topic for him in the Transfer Talk. And dozens of pages by now. And media claiming Jose, Wenger, Ancelotti, everyone on Earth is interested in signing him

[Blue Armour 4,439]

I don't know if Lukaku will make it big here, but after seeing Mata perform for United and Sturridge for Liverpool...I don't want to think of another "what might have been" scenario with Lukaku.

[dee25 1,044]

Maybe Jose, like any of the four managers before him, wanted to give Torres a chance to prove he's still got what it takes? Torres, like usual, has then done fuck all to convince anyone and it's been clear for a long time now that Mourinho is frustrated with him and would probably try someone else if only we had another option. Had Lukaku stayed he would eventually have gotten his chance and by now would most likely be permanently ahead of Torres in the pecking order but he showed his immaturity by doing something no one has ever succeeded in doing before, going head to head against Jose and wanting reassurances about the amount of playing time he would be getting under him. Thing is, Mourinho doesn't do reassurances. He wants all players to be fully committed to him and prove their worth in training and the ones that deserve it will get their chance but clearly Lukaku wasn't willing to fight for his place.

I'm not going to quote the whole thing but I'm just going to say that this whole "he wasn't willing to fight for his place" narrative is one of the most overused football cliches that needs to be put to death - a slow painful death. People who tend to throw around statements like that often times use it as a way to deflect responsibility from their club and onto the departing player. I'm not saying you're doing that, you at least acknowledge that Lukaku's decision is understandable.

I just think that none of us really know what transpired between Lukaku and Mourinho that led to him requesting a loan so I think to say that he wasn't willing to fight for his place is a gross assumption.

Secondly anyone who has played a team sport and done so while competing at a high level will know that in order to "fight for your place" requires that you actually do have a place in the team that's worth fighting for. Young players need to be given reassurances that the club/management values them otherwise they're not going to feel that there's actually a place for them in the team and if they don't feel valued and validated then how can they then be motivated to keep on fighting?

I also think your point about Mourinho not doing reassurances is absolutely not true.

Marco Van Ginkel and Kalas have already said they received reassurances personally from Mourinho and your other point about the possibility of Mourinho being pissed at Lukaku is just wild speculations. Imo the club needed to have brought in a top class centre forward. They couldn't bring in the one they wanted, fair enough but the mistake they made was putting their faith in Torres (once again) rather than taking a punt with Lukaku.

A strike force of Eto'o and Lukaku would have put us in a far better position for a title challenge. Although I agree that had Lukaku stayed he definitely would have gotten a chance but that doesn't really make a difference to him because he's gone on to do well at Everton at any case. The one who is at disadvantage from Lukaku being out on loan is not Lukaku..... it's us.

[bouletje 82]

A 20 year old should never ever sit on a bench, nowhere. If he's not chelsea material at-the-moment, we HAVE to loan him out, if it's needed, even one more year.

He simply can't take the risk to be sitting on a bench, the kid HAS to play until his 22, from then on we'll see.

It's a pretty simple and basic rule in football, if at that age you are sitting on a bench somewhere, you simply HAVE TO drop a level and play somewhere else.

The view of some of you lot is of significance from the moment you speak about a 27 (more aged) player in his prime, not of a highly talented 20year old.

Words about mentality etc, Well imo his mentality is pro chelsea in the long run.

And i see hazard/Ronaldo/Messi numbers at age 22 being compared alot as a reference(not that I believe those say anything) but i wouldn't mind seeing lukaku's being compared to theirs.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

If he can not back himself to dislodge Torres this season whats to say he will back himself up to dislodge a Costa or Mandukic if we do sign one next season? His good but his mentality might seems lacking

How would you feel if you were sidelined by a useless striker that keeps getting starts and you just sit and rot on the bench when you are young, talented and u're better than the striker?

(Just trying to make u understand how Sturridge/Lukaku felt/feels)

[Henrique 9,133]

[Atholy 1,293]

Newsflash:

A 20 year old boy managed to score 31(!) goals in his 2 first EPL seasons!

Goals against all top teams: Man United (3!!!), Liverpool (2), Arsenal (2), Man City (1), ... except for Chelsea (oh yeah, he's not allowed to play against us)!!

Yet news has spread that some fans are doubting if they want him back at the club ...

=> I really cannot find any words to describe this... really can't!!

ps: STOP thinking he has attitude problems & he doesn't want to play as a 2nd striker next season. Romelu is a model pro who works his ass off every single day + he will be more than happy to play together with a TOP striker next season (together or sub him).

[Pizy 18,907]

After that display of affection for Martinez today I'd say it's only a matter of time before we see quotes in the papers or a video interview of him saying that he's the best manager he's ever played for and that he "loves" Everton. Never shy to say something inflammatory.

He does have a point, though. He's always saying that he aspires to be Rooney or CR7 where they're starting from a really young age and constantly playing and scoring. He's not going to get that here with us buying a new main man. If he had come in and established himself when we initially bought him and beat out Torres then we wouldn't be having this conversation, but I just can't see how he's going to be able to live out his dream of being our number one if we buy someone. Like someone said last page, even if our new striker struggles or flops he's still going to play just like Torres did to try to get him going.

The most frustrating thing is that unlike the Courtois situation where he's competing with a club legend, Lukaku knows he's better than the donkey's we have but still can't get the nod. Why would he want to come back next season and find it even more difficult to break into the side when he can be THE man at a very good Everton side?

The best thing for US is to bring him back next season whether he likes it or not and have him competing for a place. The best thing for HIM is to spend another season at Everton on loan to develop more.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Let's see: Lukaku can return to Chelsea, play/train with D. Drogba, play with Eto'o and, again, play for his favorite boyhood club under Jose. I'm thinking he gets some time to prove himself at SB and he will come back. Forget the rumours. It's just going to be up to him to improve his play in front of opposition centre backs. Didier should coach him. If he still looks like he'd rather be playing RW after a period of time back with Chelsea, I'm thinking he either becomes a RW or he gets sold.

To get him to play/train with Drogba, you have to get Drogba first. It seems that so many players have already been signed. Drogba, Costa, Cavani. This reminds me of last summer. Wait for what happens, then start talking about which team we should play.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

"Only 3 players (Suarez 52, Van Persie 37, Sturridge 31) have scored more league goals than Lukaku since August 2012.”

[Reddish-Blue 2,505]

After that display of affection for Martinez today I'd say it's only a matter of time before we see quotes in the papers or a video interview of him saying that he's the best manager he's ever played for and that he "loves" Everton. Never shy to say something inflammatory.

He does have a point, though. He's always saying that he aspires to be Rooney or CR7 where they're starting from a really young age and constantly playing and scoring. He's not going to get that here with us buying a new main man. If he had come in and established himself when we initially bought him and beat out Torres then we wouldn't be having this conversation, but I just can't see how he's going to be able to live out his dream of being our number one if we buy someone. Like someone said last page, even if our new striker struggles or flops he's still going to play just like Torres did to try to get him going.

The most frustrating thing is that unlike the Courtois situation where he's competing with a club legend, Lukaku knows he's better than the donkey's we have but still can't get the nod. Why would he want to come back next season and find it even more difficult to break into the side when he can be THE man at a very good Everton side?

The best thing for US is to bring him back next season whether he likes it or not and have him competing for a place. The best thing for HIM is to spend another season at Everton on loan to develop more.

The best thing for HIM would be earning a permanent move to Everton and working with a manager who believes in him. (If they get UCL football, Everton should be able to afford him)

It's pretty clear that Mourinho doesn't see Lukaku as his main man...so why should he come back to Chelsea and get the Sturridge treatment?

[Tomo 21,751]

Still not sure if Casillas really had to be dropped. At the end, it looked to me Mourinho was so tired of being at Real he was practically asking to get fired by kicking everyone's shins.

The Cassilas that Ancelotti has also dropped, that one?

[Pizy 18,907]

The best thing for HIM would be earning a permanent move to Everton and working with a manager who believes in him. (If they get UCL football, Everton should be able to afford him)

It's pretty clear that Mourinho doesn't see Lukaku as his main man...so why should he come back to Chelsea and get the Sturridge treatment?

That's the worry, though. That he becomes the player he's cracked up to be and we look like mugs once again for selling a player who would massively improve us.

Only way I'd reluctantly sell him permanently is if the fee is too crazy to turn down like £30m which isn't happening. Trouble with loaning him to Everton again is running the risk of him falling in love with the club and not wanting to come back when we finally feel he's needed. That he'll kick up a real fuss and resist returning.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Ba was regular scorer for Nufc but failed miserably here. Its one thing to score for Everton or Newcastle, another to score for Chelsea. We have build up play completely against the comfort for striker (maybe with new Lb who can cross and creative long passing CM things will change). I dont think Lukaku will fail here, but it will be damn harder for him to score for us. He is young and its great thing, if we were Lpool who gives every ball to striker, Lukaku would score for fun sooner or later. But we are Chelsea who needs very specific striker, the one who works for the team (we aint team that works for striker).

I seriously think we should sell him to Everton with buy back clause and get him back in few years.

Should we buy Costa (or any top striker), Lukaku will be benched mostly for next 4/5 years. Its great for us to have such quality on bench, but its useless for him, he needs to play week in week out. He needs to improve and he can only do it with play time, which he wont get.

The ultimate question; Lukaku OR top level striker (bought in summer). Both wont be here, I guess.

Lets hope he makes great preseason, world cup and does the job as our first striker next season(s).

[mediator 2,026]

Would be stupid to let him go, he will be homegrown next season...

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Mou realy fucked up with him I think. When Mou came, he had shit strike force and would be perfect time to bring Lukaku into starting eleven. After all, we have transition period, our objective was top 3. Lukaku could do it. We still had Etoo and Torres to rotate. Ba should be sold back in summer.

Should Mou used Lukaku as our starter this season, we would head into next with striker who already adapted (Lukaku) and would compete for higher places. Now, Lukaku will have to adapt (start from level zero) should he be our starter next season, meaning there is very little chance of reaching better than top 3 with Lukaku next season.

Mou will buy Costa/xxx in summer and sell Lukaku, IMO. He rather trusted Torres over Lukaku in a fucking transition year, perfect time to make changes. It says all, doesnt it?

[Muzchap 8,966]

Mou realy fucked up with him I think. When Mou came, he had shit strike force and would be perfect time to bring Lukaku into starting eleven. After all, we have transition period, our objective was top 3. Lukaku could do it. We still had Etoo and Torres to rotate. Ba should be sold back in summer.

Should Mou used Lukaku as our starter this season, we would head into next with striker who already adapted (Lukaku) and would compete for higher places. Now, Lukaku will have to adapt (start from level zero) should he be our starter next season, meaning there is very little chance of reaching better than top 3 with Lukaku next season.

Mou will buy Costa/xxx in summer and sell Lukaku, IMO. He rather trusted Torres over Lukaku in a fucking transition year, perfect time to make changes. It says all, doesnt it?

All we have to go on are a few remarks by both parties - none of us are privy to what actually was discussed.

Hindsight is an amazing thing - it has the uncanny knack of making things look better/worse...

Lets wait until the summer before deciding his fate

The parallels drawn with Casillis (sp?) are crazy. Casillis was actively engaging dressing room sabotage and leaking private info to his GF (sports journalist)... A dangerous game - for which he paid the price! As the reserve keeper had SO many great games for Madrid and has now ousted him longer term. So in 'hindsight' Jose was actually right to drop him

See - its a tough one

Another adage worth remembering is 'careful what you wish for...'

Personally, Lukaku is doing well - I probably would leave him at Everton for another season, IF they get CL football. Will be a great test for him. No denying his raw ability - but CL is the next step up...

[calculatingInfinity 1,472]

And he hasn't got the right mentality why? Because he wants to play?

No, I think that's exactly what he wants. What I would guess he isn't too fond of, is giving out any guarantees on playing time, other than whoever performs the best plays.

[bushman 2,043]

Chelsea have set an asking price of around 35m for Lukaku. If true, it´s a sale, in my books.

[Special Juan 28,141]

Took that goal really well yesterday. It is funny watching Arsenal trying to defend against a big strong forward....they literally have no idea what so ever.