Everton want to keep Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku this summer, despite reported interest from Chelsea
According to the Daily Mail, Everton will put a price tag of around £75million on striker Romelu Lukaku’s head this summer.
The Belgian’s former club Chelsea are reportedly showing interest in the striker.
It seems the Merseyside club are in no mood to negotiate over the forward.
The Blues will have to cough-up a massive fee for a striker they sold for £28million back in 2014.
Everton does not need to sell Lukaku
A combination of extra television revenue and the arrival of majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri have made the Toffees financially stable. Gone are the days where the Toffees could be financially bullied and lose all their top stars.
With no need to sell this summer, the club will only part company with their best players for major figures, in Lukaku’s case £75million it would seem. It would be a massive transfer fee for the 23-year-old striker.
Chelsea had reportedly made Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata their main striking target this summer, but Lukaku is their backup option. That is one hell of a fee for a player that is a backup option.
Everton win in this deal either way. If a club like Chelsea is foolish enough to sign the striker for £75million then most fans will be over the moon. If he stays, the Toffees still have a striker that knows how to find the net.
Lukaku is not the finished article
Romelu Lukaku may tell everybody that he is god’s gift to football, but in truth, he still has a lot of work to do to become top-class. Much of his problem is his attitude and character.
He seems to have all the physical attributes, the pace, power and strength to be a top striker on the world stage. The problem is he thinks he is at the top level and he is not yet.
The fact that he keeps telling everybody that he should be playing in the Champions League shows a lack of respect for Everton. He needs to keep his mouth shut and let his football do the talking.
If there was anything to take from his recent displays, then it is that he is not yet good enough for a team playing in the Champions League. He seems to wilt on the big stage, at club and international level.
Lukaku does not yet have the mental attributes to compete at the top level. The pressure seems to get to him. When the going gets tough Lukaku seems to just disappear.
The striker downed tools at the end of last season, failing to score in his last ten appearances for the Toffees. Not exactly the behaviour or form of a top European centre-forward.
Lukaku holds great promise
Everton took a massive gamble by signing Lukaku for £28million, but the Toffees knew the striker had tremendous potential. The striker has an admirable record in the Premier League for such a young guy, he has to be praised for that.
However, Lukaku needs to remember it was Everton that gave him the chance to play first-team football after then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho basically washed his hands of the striker.
It was the Everton fans who regarded Lukaku as a hero, whereas opinions were mixed amongst the Stamford Bridge faithful. That was of course until he started spouting off about wanting to leave the club.
The Evertonians are now rather divided on whether they want Lukaku at their club or not.
For much of last season, Romelu Lukaku was outstanding in front of goal, scoring 18 times in the Premier League and 25 goals in all competitions. It was Lukaku’s best scoring return of his career.
The striker is set to be offered a new contract this summer to persuade the striker to stay at the club. If he does then no doubt he will again be prolific for the Toffees.
The arrival of Ronald Koeman and new investment has raised expectations at the club, after two years of underachievement under Roberto Martinez.
The Toffees are odds of 7/2 to finish in the top-six next season and are highly likely to progress under their new boss. Lukaku could be a key component in that progression.
The Belgian striker needs to knuckle down and work hard for Everton next season and maybe in the near future the Toffees prospects will match his ambitions.
Should Everton consider selling Lukaku this summer?
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
