Depending on which paper you read, or what online publication you frequent, you’ll have been given a different valuation on exactly how much Belgian starlet Romelu Lukaku is worth to his club side Anderlecht. I’ve seen price-tags ranging from £15-27m placed on the 17-year-old striker’s head. Now, according to a number of sources, Anderlecht’s general manager Herman Van Holsbeeck has been in London trying to finalise a deal with Chelsea.
The belief is that Andelecht are willing to sell the prodigious youngster to Chelsea for £15m, providing they can get their hands on Genk winger Kevin De Bruyne for £5m. Chelsea will then have first-option when it comes to buying De Bruyne in three years time. That might sound needlessly complicated, but it boils down to Chelsea being offered two uniquely talented youngsters for a fee of around £20m.
Chelsea’s problems upfront have been well documented this season and I would suggest have also been exaggerated. I fully expect Fernando Torres to kick on next season, once he’s had a proper pre-season with the rest of the squad and the return of Daniel Sturridge will also add strength and depth to the Blues attacking options. Whilst I wouldn’t be too keen to hold on to Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba has at least another season in him at the top level.
If Chelsea are to make changes upfront, it’s my hope that they bring in a striker who has already proven themselves in a top European League. Perhaps that man may be Napoli’s Edinson Cavani or Atletico Madrid’s Sergio Aguero but it’s not Lukaku who is much too young and inexperienced. Whilst I understand that he’s a talented youngster, he would still represent a gamble and an expensive one at that.
I’m sure people will be keen to point out that Lukaku has racked up 37 goals in two seasons at Anderlecht. But it’s important to remember that these goals were scored in the Belgian League
I would also argue that purchasing Lukaku would exacerbate Chelsea’s tendency to hit the ball long to their strikers, something that would damage Torres’ development with the Blues. It’s been widely acknowledged that Chelsea just aren’t playing to Torres’ strengths this season and the purchase of Romelu Lukaku would represent another step backwards in that regard.
I’d also worry about Sturridge’s future at the club if Romelu Lukaku was brought in. Sturridge has proven during his loan spell at Bolton that he can produce the goods. He has the talent and ability to make it at the club, so why should Chelsea look elsewhere for their young talent?
On paper, £15m for Lukaku isn’t a bad deal. Given the consequences of the deal that I’ve listed above, however, I’d argue that it’s one transfer that Carlo Ancelotti shouldn’t give his blessing.
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