Glen Johnson believes Chelsea erred in bringing back Romelu Lukaku
Speaking in an interview with Squawka (h/t Mirror), former Chelsea player Glen Johnson believes that Chelsea making the decision to bring in forward Romelu Lukaku in the previous summer was a mistake, given the amount that they paid to sign him.
Lukaku was Chelsea’s record signing last year, with the Blues splashing the cash on the Belgian after they sold him to Premier League side, Everton, in 2014. However, the player’s return to Stamford Bridge has not gone exactly to plan, with Lukaku struggling to find some form and confidence in front of the goal.
Ex Chelsea star Johnson, who helped the Stamford Bridge side to a Premier League title during his time at the club, said that Lukaku’s move back to west London was a mistake, considering the amount that was paid for him.
“I think for £100m and the way that it’s going at the moment, of course it looks like a mistake, but I still think Lukaku’s a good player, I’m just not so sure he suits the way Chelsea play.”
Johnson went on to say that Chelsea would probably have to find a way to make it work with Lukaku, as it may be tough to persuade the club to sanction another big-money move for another elite striker. The Blues have in the past spent big money on forwards like Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, who themselves have not set the Premier League on fire.
Not suited to Chelsea’s style
It was Lukaku’s incredible season in Italy with Inter Milan that persuaded Chelsea to re-sign their former player, with the Belgium international proving to be a goal-scoring machine for the Serie A side. Together with strike partner Lautaro Martinez, Lukaku helped Inter to a league title last year, with his goals proving to be the difference for the club.
Johnson believes that the former Inter Milan man’s time with Chelsea so far has been a mistake because of the price tag attached to Lukaku, rather than the player himself. Often at times, it has looked like Lukaku is struggling to live up to the money that the Premier League club have paid to secure his services.
“Looking at it now, it does look like a mistake; not so much because of the player himself… but Liverpool just signed (Luis) Diaz who’s a goal machine for the third of the money.”
It surely is a strange case for Lukaku this year, who began the season brightly but saw his form drop off and almost disappear in certain games. For fans of the Belgian, this was hard to digest as the player is highly rated for his ability to score goals and trouble opposition defences.
It becomes even more of a curious case when you realise that Lukaku has enough experience playing in the Premier League, not just for Chelsea, but also for Everton, West Brom, and Manchester United. He is a proven forward in the English top-flight, but Lukaku has failed to hit the same heights this time around.
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However, elite strikers always find a way to bounce back from games, and we can expect the same from Lukaku soon. The forward has gone through rough patches before in his career and has always found a way to get back to his best self and deliver when it matters the most.
For Lukaku, the best way to silence his critics is to perform on the pitch. He can achieve just that this month by leading Chelsea to Carabao Cup and FIFA Club World Cup glory. Whether he will go on to do that remains to be seen.