Ronald Koeman spoke today about how Romelu Lukaku can emulate Patrick Kluivert and play for Barcelona, but is that the best destination for the striker?
Lukaku has been extremely impressive over the last few years in the Premier League, scoring 68 goals in 137 appearances for Everton – which is a highly impressive statistic for someone who only turned 23 earlier this year.
Lukaku is a powerful, pacy striker and is also a good finisher of the ball. His astonishing development at such a young age has seen him linked repeatedly with big clubs around the world, and it is only a matter of time until the Belgian forward leaves Everton to go on to bigger and better things.
Koeman spoke earlier in the day about how Lukaku could emulate Dutchman Patrick Kluivert and play for Barcelona, saying :
“Lukaku has the potential to become an amazing striker,” Everton boss Koeman told HLN. “He is only 23 years old and he’s only getting better.
“He is one of the best I have ever seen — both as a player and as a coach — when it comes to making that final decision in front of goal.
“I think he can emulate Patrick Kluivert, who also rose to prominence at a young age and enjoyed a fantastic career. He eventually played for Barcelona and I can see Lukaku doing the same.”
This is high praise coming from a manager who played with the likes of Kluivert, Dennis Bergkamp, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard.
But is Barcelona the best destination for the Belgian youngster?
The current Barcelona side is a different incarnation from the one Kluivert played in, not only in terms of personnel but also in playing style. They prefer a quick, passing game with a fluid, interchangeable front three.
Lukaku, on the other hand, thrives as a lone striker, using his physical strength to hold up play and revelling in the service provided to him by his teammates.
He also doesn’t a particularly brilliant first touch, and his passing game is nothing spectacular. Perhaps Barcelona isn’t the best fit for Lukaku given his playing style, but that is not to say that he won’t be a huge success at other teams.
Let’s take a look at three other possible destinations for Lukaku that would be a much better fit :
Real Madrid :
Real Madrid will soon be on the lookout for replacements for Karim Benzema (28) and Cristiano Ronaldo (31), whatever the latter says about his plans to play till 41.
Madrid are a team that always look to attack, but favour a style of play that is not as intricate as Barcelona’s.
They also have the money to prize him away from Everton, something that clubs like Arsenal will not. Alvaro Morata, while young, has not established himself as much as Lukaku has, and should Lukaku move to Real Madrid, there is no doubt he will be a success there.
Chelsea :
Lukaku joined Chelsea in 2011 for a fee reported to be around €12 million (£10 million), rising to €20 million (£17 million) in add-ons.
That fee seems a pittance now, and Chelsea had to fight off several clubs to secure his signature. What pushed the deal in their favour was the fact that Lukaku was a self-confessed Chelsea fan, and Didier Drogba – who was still at the club – was his idol.
Lukaku described tearing up upon seeing the Chelsea pitch for the first time as he had realised a dream, but it didn’t quite turn out the way he wanted it to. Lukaku was loaned out twice before finally joining Everton on a permanent deal, and hasn’t looked back since.
However, there is no reason a player who has been spurned by a club cannot return to his former home – just look at Manchester United and Paul Pogba.
Chelsea do not have a player of Lukaku’s caliber rising through the ranks of their academy, and while Diego Costa is in fantastic form, the striker is 28 years of age and was repeatedly linked with moves away from the club in the summer.
Lukaku would be a great replacement for Costa in Conte’s system, with his pace, physicality and finishing ability all reminiscent of Costa’s playing style.
It is not confirmed whether Chelsea included a buy-back clause of any sort when they sold Lukaku, but whether they have or not, the Belgian would be a great addition to the side should they choose to grant him a return to the club he dreamed about playing at as a boy.
Manchester United :
Manchester United will soon be parting ways with both Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The former has already stopped being utilised as a forward, and the latter is only on a one-year contract and it remains unclear if he will sign another one.
Marcus Rashford is no doubt an exciting talent, but it is highly unlikely that United will be willing to pin all their hopes on the youngster and install him as the main centre forward at the club.
Romelu Lukaku ticks several boxes for United – he is young, he is a proven goalscorer, he is capable of playing as a lone striker and he is already fully adapted to the English game.
If United’s transfer history is anything to go by, a move for Lukaku should be a no-brainer for the Red Devils should they decide to sign a forward.