Premier League outfit Chelsea have built up a reputation recently of spending on players who are not really needed at the club. In the past, the likes of Juan Cuadrado and Mohammad Salah have shown that a move to Chelsea may not be efficient with game time hard to come by. One such player who left the club a couple of years ago is Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku. Now playing for Everton, Lukaku has established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in the Premier League over the last two seasons and has attracted interest from some of the top clubs in Europe.
Antonio Conte, the current Chelsea boss is in desperate search of a striker, especially with star man Diego Costa linked with a move back to Atletico Madrid this summer. The manager has already spent big on one Belgian in Michy Batshuayi but is now ready to make a big-money bid for Lukaku to bring him to the club this summer. So does the Everton striker have a place at Stamford Bridge next season? Will he succeed at the Bridge as he did at Everton?
The 23-year old is an exceptional striker who has a unique eye for goal. His finishing abilities are next to a select few in the Premier League and he is easily the best player for the Toffees in the previous season. He managed to score 25 goals in all competitions for the Merseyside outfit last campaign and his form saw him lead his national side in the EURO16 in France recently. He is a player who loves to have the ball at his feet while his dribbling abilities allow him to get past his man with ease. But his biggest assets are his strength and aerial abilities.
He is a player who suits the English style of play as he is not afraid to put his body on the line to keep hold of the ball in crucial areas. He also has a decent understanding of the game that allows him to take superb positions on the field in the final third and his threat in set-pieces is just another positive attribute. He has the ability to score goals from different angles and ranges but is also adept in setting up goals for his team-mates as he has shown picking up 6 assists in the domestic league last season.
He may not be able to provide enough defensive cover for his team, but at Chelsea, he will not really be expected to track back every time. The manager is expected to use a 3-5-2 formation that will see two strikers up front with one falling deep at times to let the other exploit the space and Lukaku is exceptional in finding such space. He will find life a lot easier playing for Chelsea alongside some of the best players in the league in Willian, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas and his experience previously in the Premier League makes him an attractive option for Chelsea.
However, Chelsea sold him for £28m a couple of years ago to Everton and have now been asked to pay around £75m for his services. Chelsea are reportedly ready to make a final £67m bid which in itself is high but with the amount of money that is pumped into the Premier League due to the new TV rights along with the general inflation of prizes, Lukaku may actually be worth his price tag. Making the move for such money might add pressure to perform on the Belgian which might have its own pitfalls but move for Lukaku is the most sensible option for Conte, especially with strikers of his quality hard to come by in the transfer window this summer. Do you think Lukaku should move to Chelsea this summer?
