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Is there any hope for Lukaku at Chelsea?

Romelu Lukaku may still be useful to Chelsea if he is "on form," but a long-term breakup seems inescapable, according to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Harry Siuu
By: Harry Siuu

The Blues paid Serie A big team Inter a club record £98 million ($119 million) transfer fee to re-sign the Belgian striker in the summer of 2021. However, the 29-year-old frontman's plans did not go as expected, and after scoring 15 goals, he returned to San Siro on an original loan agreement 12 months after moving to west London.

Since giving up on Lukaku, Chelsea has tried out other strikers; Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both fell flat, and additional transfers are currently being made to improve the offensive ranks at Stamford Bridge. Hasselbaink, a former Blues striker, responded to Betway when asked if there was a chance for a high-paid No. 9 to return: "Lukaku may be a strong force for Chelsea if he's in good shape, but if he's not right and not willing, it's best for him to leave. Romelu Lukaku has an issue because he hasn't played much football and has been injured at Inter Milan for a time. He may have expressed a desire to leave Chelsea, and when a player expresses such a desire, the club has no choice.

Lukaku made mistake when coming back to Chelsea

Joao Felix, a forward for Portugal, is one of the players Chelsea is interested in signing, and a loan agreement with Atletico Madrid is almost complete. Arsenal don't require Joao Felix; they require a different type of player, according to Hasselbaink. Man United need a true striker; Chelsea need one more, but it depends on which position Chelsea envisions him playing. They have enough wingers. Joao Felix would work best for Chelsea because they need to be active in both midfield and all three of their front players.

Chelsea are in desperate need of inspiration after an alarming slump in performance saw them exit the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, slide to 10th place in the Premier League standings, and put manager Graham Potter under increasing pressure.

Did Lukaku miss Inter or just Conte

The Belgian striker was a standout during his first two seasons with the Nerazzurri, making 95 games and scoring 64 goals to help the side win the Scudetto for the first time in ten years in the 2020–21 season. After rediscovering his magic in Italy, he returned to Chelsea that summer for almost €113 million, eager to perform at his peak in the Premier League.

Unfortunately for Lukaku, his time at Chelsea did not turn out well as evidenced by the fact that he only scored eight Premier League goals in 26 games. A fascinating interview he gave to Sky Sports Italia only a few months into his stay at the club, where he acknowledged his passion for the Nerazzurri and desire to one-day return, partially derailed his time in West London. In the summer of 2022, Lukaku really wanted to return to Inter, and he was granted his dream thanks to a €8 million dry loan agreement. The Belgian believed he would rediscover his brilliance after a trying year, and the Nerazzurri hoped he would make the difference in a title race.

Lukaku misses Inter or just Conte?

Throughout his six league appearances so far this year, Lukaku has only managed one goal in 58 minutes of play per game. He has produced an average of 0.50 opportunities and 0.50 shots on target per 90 over that time, and he appears to be a shell of his former self. While Lukaku has been hampered by injuries this season, some have hypothesized that Antonio Conte's absence from the dugout may also be a contributing factor to his woes on the field. The Belgian developed a close bond with the Italian coach, something Thomas Tuchel saw while they were teammates at Chelsea, and he appeared to be a superstar under the former Juventus manager.

It appears as though Lukaku, 29, simply missed Conte rather than Inter because he hasn't been able to repeat his magic with Inzaghi on the sidelines. Although there is still time left in this season for the striker to turn things around, there is no assurance that he will get another shot the next year.

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Harry Siuu
Written by: Harry Siuu
a specialized football specialist with over ten years' experience as a football journalist who works for Betimate.com.

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