Not every story begins with a bang! Similarly, not every story ends in ecstasy. Well, Chelsea and their manager Thomas Tuchel certainly hoped for it when the club re-signed Romelu Lukaku for a club-record fee of €113 million. But with only 5 goals in the Premier League and 12 goals in all competitions this season, Lukaku is no longer the preferred number 9 at Chelsea.
His heroics last season with Inter Milan helped him regain his fame and popularity when he helped the club lift the scudetto in the 2020/21 season. He was both the leading goalscorer and assist provider for Inter in the Serie A – further proving his all-around playing capabilities.
The numbers attracted the eyes of Tuchel and he was keen to bring Lukaku back to London. Chelsea suffered due to the lack of a proper point forward last season, so the deal was much anticipated and the fans had high hopes for the 28-year old Belgian forward. It’s safe to say that things have not gone according to plan. After his internal fallout with the manager, he has fallen down the pecking order at the club.
What is next for Romelu Lukaku?
The chances of the current situation turning around and in favour of Lukaku are quite less. Many stars need to align together to make Lukaku a starter again and at the moment, Tuchel definitely does not see him as a talismanic figure. So, as things stand, the departure of Lukaku looks inevitable.
If rumours are to be believed, two clubs are interested in his service, with one of them being his former club Inter Milan. His reputation at Chelsea was damaged after his interview regarding Inter and his love for his former club was published. So, a possible return is still in the books as Inter may lose Lautaro Martinez at the end of the season and may look to sign a forward.
Another club to surprisingly enter the race is Bayern Munich. Bayern may lose the services of Robert Lewandoski as the 33-year old Polish striker is reportedly willing to leave the club on a free transfer after his demands were not met by the Bayern board members. If that happens, they are quite likely to go for Romelu as his replacement.
Chelsea also is in favour of the sale – but not for a penny less than €75 Million. The club takeover is yet to be completed, so a lot of things depend on the potential the new owners see in Lukaku. All in all, we are headed for a dramatic post-season!
