"Lukaku, woah! Lukaku, woah! He comes from Stamford
Bridge, he's bigger than a fridge."
Top scorer in the Belgian Pro League at age 16, a national call-up and double against Russia soon after and 17 Premier League goals to his name last season - Romelu Lukaku has a bright future ahead of him.
West Bromich Albion fans could be heard chanting their appreciation for the Belgian forward like he was their very own throughout the course of last season, as loanee Lukaku helped guide Steve Clarke's side towards their best Premier League finish to date. The chant doesn't lie either, Lukaku is quite a presence, modelled on former Blues legend Didier Drogba and now ready to take on the mantel as Chelsea's star striker.
Signed from Belgian giants Anderlecht by the Blues for a reported £20 million in August 2011, Lukaku struggled to make an immediate impact. Chelsea, desperate to get Fernando Torres back to his best, showed little desire to accommodate for the youngster and looked to another club to take on the task of breaking Lukaku into English football. Having served as assistant manager under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, Steve Clarke used his contacts accordingly to snap up Lukaku on a season long loan and aptly let the frustrated Belgian loose.
And Lukaku could have been forgiven for venting his frustrations - sent out on loan whilst Torres's form continued to evade him and, until Demba Ba's arrival, Chelsea suffered from limited attacking options to call upon from the bench. What's more, youngsters such as Victor Moses, Nathan Ake and Oscar were all welcomed into the fold without having to prove themselves elsewhere. This, one can imagine, is all going to change next season. In the meantime Lukaku has gone about his business in a highly professional manner.
Scoring 17 goals last season he passed his trial with flying colours, helping propel the Baggies to the upper echelons of the league. Tall, physical he surprised a few of the league's most intimidating defenders during the course of the season. And Lukaku might feel unfortunate not to have finished with a higher tally to his name. Reminiscent of Drogba he gets himself in and among the action and but for the occasional, youthful lack of composure he might have had Robin Van Persie glancing over his shoulder. A nuisance in the box, he has the predatory instinct and the technique to back it up, as displayed against United on the final game of last season when Lukaku netted an impressive hat-trick. Capable of scoring a range of goals, he's a threat from anywhere in the opposition half if you allow him the space.
Now Lukaku looks set to play a significant role in Mourinho's long term plans, whose forward play revolved around the supremely gifted Drogba during his first stint with the club. The Portuguese manager has shown he's unafraid to make bold decisions regarding his starting eleven; Iker Casillas the most high profile victim. Besides, Mourinho isn't the type to play Torres on reputation alone if he believes Lukaku would suit Chelsea's system better. Defenders dreaded marking Drogba because he provided so many different attacking threats. Lethal in the air, a powerful shot, efficient hold-up play, good on the turn and deceptively fast Lukaku ticks all the boxes of his predecessor. If there is one beneficial difference, Lukaku appears to have a sound temperament in place.
Up until the current pre-season Lukaku had played eight games for Chelsea scoring no goals, albeit these appearances came during the difficult settling in stage after his arrival in England. Still, the Belgian will be eager to get off the mark competitively as soon as possible at the start of the new season. For all a striker's endeavour it's the goals he scores which endears him to the fans, as Torres knows only too well. 17 league goals for the Baggies is impressive but at Chelsea it's arguably the bare minimum.
Chelsea can be brutally impatient when their strikers don't deliver consistently; Daniel Sturridge the most recent example. The Blues supporters will expect and demand even more next season having witnessed Lukaku's talents from afar. Yet the comments coming out of the Chelsea camp suggest that there is a belief Lukaku can and will deliver at the highest level and that patience will be granted for a player who looks certain to live up to his price tag.
Part of Belgium's 'Golden Generation', Lukaku could well outshine some of the national side's most valuable stars this season and at just 19-years-old he's not yet unleashed his full potential - a bright future indeed.
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