Following the defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday, Romelu Lukaku has been quoted as saying he wants to join a “top club”, despite only permanently joining Everton last summer. Speaking to the Belgian press, Lukaku said;
“It was brilliant to play at Chelsea and I had a good reception. They know I’m a good player but that I want to develop so I can eventually get back to playing for a club like Chelsea. I don’t have a secret ambition to re-join — there are other clubs in the world. I just want to grow as a player and eventually arrive at a top club again.”
It’s safe to say this has not gone down too well with many Evertonian’s. The Belgian’s form has been up and down to say the least so far this season, and overall he hasn’t lived up to the £28m Everton paid for him. A poor first touch, an inability to hold the ball up, constantly bullied by defenders and consistently caught offside have all been frustrating traits of the strikers season.
Lukaku has again been speaking to the press this weekend, and has moved to explain his fluctuating form this season, citing both personal reasons and physical problems. “My father has been ill for a long time”, Lukaku explained. “Not many people know that. Just before the World Cup, he was urgently admitted to the hospital.” He has also had to deal with the loss of his friend, Wolfsburg midfielder Junior Malanda, who tragically lost his life in a car accident. “This is the biggest loss that I have experienced in my life”, Rom said. Injuries have also plagued his season;
“In the first game I injured my heel. Then I injured my toe. That continued to drag on. I kept playing because I wanted to help the team. The games against Chelsea and Arsenal (in August) I should never have been allowed to play. Few people know that but for those matches I’ve had four injections in my foot to play.”
On his aims for the rest of this season, Lukaku has made it clear what he has his eyes on.
“We also have to show people that we really want to win the Europa League. That’s my big goal. To win a trophy. I want to win the Europa League and my teammates know that.”
If that was to happen, his ill-advised comments following the Chelsea game would no doubt be forgotten…
