With Romelu Lukaku future uncertain at Stamford Bridge, who could Chelsea sign as a replacement for him
Perhaps the biggest news emerging out of the Premier League in the New Year so far has been Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku announcing his desire to leave the club, somewhat surprisingly, to journalist Matteo Barzaghi. Following his comments, the Belgian was subsequently dropped for the Blues’ game against Liverpool that weekend and major doubts have been cast over the former Inter Milan striker’s future at the European champions.
Romelu Lukaku’s time at Chelsea certainly hasn’t gone to plan so far. His evident desire to leave the club could potentially be detrimental to squad harmony and, as they say, no club wants a bad egg lingering around the place, but Thomas Tuchel will be fully aware that his £98 million signing from the champions of Italian football has the ability to succeed at the club, it has just been tough unlocking his undoubted quality.
To date, despite many predicting Lukaku’s arrival to make Chelsea title contenders and for the Belgian to top the scoring charts and this FPL points predictor by 888 Sport alongside the likes of Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo, the beastly goal-getter is yet to make a notable impact at the club. A twisted ankle in October left the striker out of action for a while, with Tuchel’s Blues returning to the familiar system, which led them to European glory last campaign.
With that has come damning evidence that Lukaku simply doesn’t fit in at the club and is quickly falling out of favour with his new boss, despite him scoring against Brighton and Aston Villa in recent weeks.
Chelsea Transfer News: New Striker Who Can Be A Replacement For Romelu Lukaku
The former Inter Milan hero could stay for the full season despite his recent declaration, but interest from his former club – plus other major sides in European football – could materialise as soon as the summer window opens.
Chelsea are said to be actively looking for a long-term replacement too, with Thomas Tuchel and the club’s hierarchy yet to be fully convinced by Chelsea’s star addition, with his comments undoubtedly upsetting his bosses in south west London also. As rumours begin to surface and speculation is rife, below is a look at some big names who could potentially replace Romelu Lukaku at Stamford Bridge in the future.
Erling Haaland
Should Chelsea manage to replace Lukaku with one of Europe’s most prolific scorers in Erling Haaland then it would surely soften the blow should the Belgian rediscover his form elsewhere. On top of this, Haaland’s potential could lead him to becoming an even better goalscoring machine than Romelu Lukaku has ever been.
With a reported £65 million release clause set to come into action later in the year, Haaland is surely going to attract a lot of interest among some of European football’s biggest clubs. The Norwegian striker is known to adore Premier League football after growing up in England, although a move to Manchester City might appeal to him more than signing on with Tuchel’s side.
Barcelona are linked with a move for the 21-year-old striker also, although Chelsea do tend to get who they want, don’t they?
Harry Kane
The biggest transfer saga in recent times is expected to continue in the summer once again as Harry Kane aims to secure a long-awaited move away from his beloved Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of silverware. The arrival of Antonio Conte has certainly raised standards at the club, but whether or not it has convinced the England captain to stay in north London remains to be seen. Manchester City were close to prizing Kane away from Tottenham in the summer window only for Daniel Levy to hold firm and demand more money for his prized asset, but Chelsea have the financial muscle to win the race to sign Kane come the end of the season.
Kane wouldn’t command the reported £200 million fee, Levy was quoting in the summer either, but a large offer could certainly test Spurs’ resolve. If there’s a club known for breaking the bank to get what they need then it’s the Blues.
Dusan Vlahovic
With a whole host of top sides monitoring Dusan Vlahovic’s situation at Fiorentina, the Serbian frontman is destined for a big move in the near future. Vlahovic’s contract is due to expire next year and there is little signs of renewal, therefore sparking interest from some of European football’s elite clubs.
The Serbian even managed to finish three goals behind Lukaku’s total at Inter last term, despite being relatively inexperienced at the age of 20. Now 21, Dusan Vlahovic is making quite a name for himself as he continues to dominate the scoring charts in Italy’s top flight. Like many elite sides in Europe, Chelsea will surely be keeping tabs on one of European football’s hottest prospects.
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