Romelu Lukaku Returns to Chelsea

[Cicero]

Done deal looks like

[Batard]

1 hour ago, Stan said:

He'd immediately be the best striker at the club if he joined Utd but will agree he's perhaps not worth £120m. 

I think he's being underrated in this thread to be quite honest. While he's not 'elite' he's definitely more than just brute force and goals. He was a huge part in Inter winning Serie A and has improved his own game since 2+ years ago since he was at Utd.

This. He’s a goalscorer, he might not have the finesse of Messi or Ronaldo but the lad guarantees goals. With Lukaku you can play fight ball if you’re under pressure and he’ll keep it high up the pitch. Given everyone presses high up the pitch, that’s a serious asset to have. 

[Devil]

8 hours ago, Stan said:

He'd immediately be the best striker at the club if he joined Utd but will agree he's perhaps not worth £120m. 

I think he's being underrated in this thread to be quite honest. While he's not 'elite' he's definitely more than just brute force and goals. He was a huge part in Inter winning Serie A and has improved his own game since 2+ years ago since he was at Utd.

He's only be a better striker because he has age on his side, Cavani is a far better striker overall than Lukaku. One of the biggest weaknesses I noticed from his time at United was his lack of movement in the box, if you got the ball to him he'd put it in the net but he made little effort to create space for himself. Whether that was to do with his fitness levels I don't know but often he was a standing target and that used to really frustrate the fans inside Old Trafford. I don't think we can question Cavani's movement who at 33 is still showing the younger lads how you can create space inside the penalty area. 

 

7 hours ago, Batard said:

This. He’s a goalscorer, he might not have the finesse of Messi or Ronaldo but the lad guarantees goals. With Lukaku you can play fight ball if you’re under pressure and he’ll keep it high up the pitch. Given everyone presses high up the pitch, that’s a serious asset to have. 

I don't understand what fight ball is?

Do you mean you can play the ball up to his feet and he can hold off players due to his strength and size?

If so yes he can do that, he's obviously built to do that but again I will press back to his time with United where we would often try that and he'd lose the ball due to his lack of touch and maybe fitness. 

 

Still don't think he's 120 million pounds worth of striker, will stand by that regardless of his form for Inter Milan.

[Batard]

28 minutes ago, Devil said:

He's only be a better striker because he has age on his side, Cavani is a far better striker overall than Lukaku. One of the biggest weaknesses I noticed from his time at United was his lack of movement in the box, if you got the ball to him he'd put it in the net but he made little effort to create space for himself. Whether that was to do with his fitness levels I don't know but often he was a standing target and that used to really frustrate the fans inside Old Trafford. I don't think we can question Cavani's movement who at 33 is still showing the younger lads how you can create space inside the penalty area. 

 

I don't understand what fight ball is?

Do you mean you can play the ball up to his feet and he can hold off players due to his strength and size?

If so yes he can do that, he's obviously built to do that but again I will press back to his time with United where we would often try that and he'd lose the ball due to his lack of touch and maybe fitness. 

 

Still don't think he's 120 million pounds worth of striker, will stand by that regardless of his form for Inter Milan.

Fight ball is lumping it up pitch and asking your forward to win the ball by sheer strength and determination, something Lukaku has shown many times. 

[Devil]

3 minutes ago, Batard said:

Fight ball is lumping it up pitch and asking your forward to win the ball by sheer strength and determination, something Lukaku has shown many times. 

Yes he can do that, as I said he's built to do that. 

[Danny]

No wonder those kids left Chelsea, even when their seems to roughly be a pathway to the first team they go out and spend a shitload on other players. This will most likely keep Werner as a wide player, cutting out opportunities for midfielders/wingers. With Pulisic, Havertz, Ziyech....I guess this will eventually lead Hudson-Odoi to leave not long after Abraham does.

[Batard]

Just now, Devil said:

Yes he can do that, as I said he's built to do that. 

This is why he adds something to any team in the Premier League. I agree he hasn’t got an abundance of skill but he’s going to score at least 20 a season. Who doesn’t want that?

[Batard]

1 minute ago, Danny said:

No wonder those kids left Chelsea, even when their seems to roughly be a pathway to the first team they go out and spend a shitload on other players. This will most likely keep Werner as a wide player, cutting out opportunities for midfielders/wingers. With Pulisic, Havertz, Ziyech....I guess this will eventually lead Hudson-Odoi to leave not long after Abraham does.

From what can be seen the latter two you’ve mentioned are actively been offered as make weights in sales. Ziyech of that group seems like another they’ll move on too. 

[Devil]

6 minutes ago, Batard said:

This is why he adds something to any team in the Premier League. I agree he hasn’t got an abundance of skill but he’s going to score at least 20 a season. Who doesn’t want that?

You don't need to pay 120 million for 20 goals a season in the Premier League, look at Raul Jimenez at Wolves, before his injury he was banging in the goals for Wolves and holding the ball up with his size and he cost Wolves about a quarter of that figure. 

For 120 million I'd want a player that can create his own goals and also create goals for others, basically I'd want an all round world class player, Lukaku is a level below that. 

[Stan]

44 minutes ago, Devil said:

He's only be a better striker because he has age on his side, Cavani is a far better striker overall than Lukaku. One of the biggest weaknesses I noticed from his time at United was his lack of movement in the box, if you got the ball to him he'd put it in the net but he made little effort to create space for himself. Whether that was to do with his fitness levels I don't know but often he was a standing target and that used to really frustrate the fans inside Old Trafford. I don't think we can question Cavani's movement who at 33 is still showing the younger lads how you can create space inside the penalty area. 

 

Still don't think he's 120 million pounds worth of striker, will stand by that regardless of his form for Inter Milan.

I understand you're using his time at Utd as your barometer but players evolve and develop. Even if it is in a short time such as 2 (?) years for Lukaku. Benefitting from a different system perhaps with Conte at Inter but does that not just to show his adaptability? His parntership with Lautaro Martinez was one of the best in Europe. And it wasn't just because he'd stay in the box and finish. They'd be all over the forward line causing havoc for defences because of their movement and fluidity. They'd link up perfectly together because they worked together; not just one player doing all the running around etc.

I'm guessing he was a 'standing target' because of being a lone striker at Utd at the time? Most formations that play with a lone striker lend their way to being prolific in the box and getting on the end of moves to finish. But as much as Inter play differently, at least Lukaku has adapted and maybe changed his game to suit that. 

No-one questions Cavani's movement. I stand by Lukaku being the best striker at the club if he was to move there.

We can both agree he may not be £120m though. 

[Batard]

16 minutes ago, Devil said:

You don't need to pay 120 million for 20 goals a season in the Premier League, look at Raul Jimenez at Wolves, before his injury he was banging in the goals for Wolves and holding the ball up with his size and he cost Wolves about a quarter of that figure. 

For 120 million I'd want a player that can create his own goals and also create goals for others, basically I'd want an all round world class player, Lukaku is a level below that. 

GIven what he’s done in Italy and what they paid for him, and given you paid £90m for him, a £120m is not beyond the realms of reasonable. His value isn’t going to depreciate based on what he’s recently achieved. 

[Devil]

2 minutes ago, Batard said:

GIven what he’s done in Italy and what they paid for him, and given you paid £90m for him, a £120m is not beyond the realms of reasonable. His value isn’t going to depreciate based on what he’s recently achieved. 

Look were going in circles, I know what he brings to the team and I don't believe 120 million is good value, I don't think what we paid for him was good value either. 

He will score goals no doubt about. I'm happy he's signing for Chelsea and Kane also potentially signing for City. Why, because that means we will be the most likely destination for Haaland in England if he sees himself in the Premier League next season.

[Danny]

In Serie A, Lukaku has proven himself to be a 40 goal & assist striker, something he only really achieved once in England. And I don't think it's because the league is "easier", but because he's finally come of age, he looks so much sharper now and it has been stated that his body was mismanaged at Man Utd. 40+ goals & assists is worth the £100m+ Inter will want, and I think that number would be closer to what Spurs want for Kane if it wasn't for the fact that Inter need to sell players.

[Cicero]

€120M + 8M bonuses. All but done. 
 

This will also have Zapata to Inter, and Abraham to Atalanta. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Abraham to Atalanta's an interesting one.

[DNA]

They were strongly linked with Haaland but his career being in the hands of Raiola isn’t something any club wants really. Real Madrid have debt but seem to be offloading the players on big wages and limiting spend, I’d imagine this gives them a clear path next summer to sign him. Making Lukaku a good option for Chelsea given his age and renaissance under Conte’s tutelage, plus being able to settle, rather than constantly dealing with Raiola every summer.

[Batard]

Reports saying he's told Inter Milan to accept Chelsea's offer. Looks like this is happening. 

[Stan]

He's going to be frightening for them. 

Breaking in to the top 4 getting more difficult by the day.

[Reluctant Striker]

Yes, if he does return to Chelsea I expect a goal machine.

He's been prolific all through his career. West Brom, Everton, Inter. His Man United figures weren't exactly bad. Just didn't become a title winning signing.

[Spike]

Lukaku is ten times the player he was at United. It isn't because of 'WeAker LeAGue' nonsense either. A player doesn't improve dynamically and drastically because you think the Premier League is hot shit compared to Serie A. I thought Lukaku was fucking balls but I can't say that any more, he has proved me wrong twice over. Don't know how you can say he isn't worth X money, because that would infer that the market for football was anything but rational. If he comes in and Chelsea win, it doesn't matter if the price was a shilling or a billion quid, that is the nature of football, it exists to win and winning is money.

Watch him play for Belgium and tell me it's the league that makes him look good.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

2 hours ago, Stan said:

He's going to be frightening for them. 

Breaking in to the top 4 getting more difficult by the day.

It is, but you had 2 golden chances and fucked them both. I admire Leicester's industry, but you've done a Spurs here. Created a best opportunity and then fucked it.  

[Stan]

34 minutes ago, Devil-Dick Willie said:

It is, but you had 2 golden chances and fucked them both. I admire Leicester's industry, but you've done a Spurs here. Created a best opportunity and then fucked it.  

What happened in the past can stay there really. Can't go back and dwell on it. Learn from it (hopefully) and try again this season.

With signings like this though, Chelsea all but secure top 4 and should really push for the title. Man Utd sign Varane and Sancho. Man City are guaranteed top 2. Liverpool guaranteed top 4 with their squad. 

[Lucas]

If Lukaku does re-sign with Chelsea, that's a huge loss on a player they originally bought for about £10-15m. 

The fact they actually get the opportunity to afford a second chance says it all. They are just as deserving of stick as City in my eyes.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

2 minutes ago, Lucas said:

If Lukaku does re-sign with Chelsea, that's a huge loss on a player they originally bought for about £10-15m. 

The fact they actually get the opportunity to afford a second chance says it all. They are just as deserving of stick as City in my eyes.

A club who sold Lukaku, De Bruyne, Salah, Ake and Thorgan Hazard. Everyone makes mistakes but Chelsea really are clueless in the transfer window at times. 

[Lucas]

1 minute ago, Devil-Dick Willie said:

A club who sold Lukaku, De Bruyne, Salah, Ake and Thorgan Hazard. Everyone makes mistakes but Chelsea really are clueless in the transfer window at times. 

Agreed. Exactly where I was going with that.