Romelu Lukaku Leaves: My Reaction

Jul 1, 2014; Salvador, BRAZIL; Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku (9) celebrates his goal in overtime against USA during the round of sixteen match in the 2014 World Cup at Arena Fonte Nova. Belgium defeated USA 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

So the deal that many of us suspected was coming yet few of us wanted has been done. Promising 21 year old Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku has departed Chelsea Football Club to rejoin Everton, whom he starred for last season on loan, on a permanent basis.

£28m was the reported fee for Lukaku to break free of his Chelsea blue chains and put on another blue kit, this time for a team on Merseyside. The deal makes Romelu Everton’s biggest ever transfer signing. Chelsea had signed Lukaku from RSC Anderlecht for £18m in 2011, yet despite high ratings the youngster played in just one Premier League match for Chelsea. He was successful on loan at West Bromwich Albion in 2012 and was again successful last season at Everton, where he scored 15 goals in 73 matches.

Personally, when I had heard the news of Chelsea resigning Didier Drogba I had begun to believe Lukaku would be on his way out. Despite Drogba being the young Belgians idol, he had repeatedly stated his desire to be the surefire number 1 striking option at Chelsea and would not accept a role on the bench. For a Jose Mourinho team, this attitude of entitlement would simply not fly. Instead of rising to the challenge of usurping Ba, Torres, oy Eto’o last season, Lukaku demanded another loan where he would get guaranteed first team football. Instead of going into this season hoping to challenge Diego Costa for the first striker position in the lineup or learning from his idol (Drogba) he made demands to be sold. Chelsea were happy to oblige, letting the youngster walk for a relatively small fee considering his young age, homegrown status and potential.

Despite his potential, Lukaku was not willing to put in a battle for his shirt. Despite professing his love for Chelsea and Didier Drogba as a youngster, he was either unwilling or unable to compete with the stars in West London. Mourinho has never had patience for players who felt deserving of the shirt, as evidenced by his praise of Diega Costa and Didier Drogba for working so hard to become top players.

I guess I am an old fashioned supporter in some ways, despite my relatively recent timeline of supporting the Blues. I feel that if a player doesn’t want to compete for his shirt, if he doesn’t get chills at the idea of running onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge that fuel his desire to train harder and better than his competition, if he has become complacent and content at his level of play, he does not deserve to play for a club like Chelsea.
Lukaku has proved himself at West Brom and Everton. He has proved he is a capable Premier League striker.

He did NOT prove himself to be a capable Chelsea striker. The pressure is much greater at the top. Could Lukaku have achieved the highest of goals at Stamford Bridge? Possibly. We’ll never know now. We do know he could have tried, but didn’t.

He could have worked to become a king among Premier League strikers, letting Mourinho mold him and the squad into champions, conquering all before him in England and Europe with his teammates in Chelsea royal blue.

Instead, he will be a shining star at Everton. He will most likely bang in goals on Merseyside, and they will most likely finish between 5th and 8th for his 5 years at Goodison Park.

Best of luck at Everton, Romelu. We’ll see you at the end of August at Goodison Park.

UTC

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