9. ROMELU LUKAKU
Striker
Born: 13 May1993, Antwerp,
Belgium
Height: 6' 03"
Weight: 217 lbs
Previous Clubs: Inter Milan, Manchester United, Everton, Chelsea, Anderlecht
International: Belgium
Signing Date: August 2021
Chelsea Appearances
Chelsea Goals Scored
Early career
Lukaku joined his local team Rupel Boom at age
five. After four seasons at Rupel Boom, Lukaku was discovered by scouts
of Lierse, a Belgian Pro League club with an established youth academy.
He played for Lierse from 2004 until 2006, scoring 121 goals in 68
matches. After Lierse were relegated from the Belgian Pro League,
Anderlecht purchased 13 youth players from Lierse in the 2006
mid-season, including Lukaku. He played three more years as a youth
player with Anderlecht, scoring 131 goals in 93 matches.
Anderlecht
When Lukaku turned 16 on 13 May 2009, he signed a
professional contract with Anderlecht lasting until 2012.[9] Eleven days
later, he made his Belgian First Division debut on 24 May 2009 in the
championship play-off match against Standard Liège as a 69th-minute
substitute for defender Víctor Bernárdez. Anderlecht lost the match 1–0.
Lukaku became a regular member of Anderlecht's first team during the
2009–10 season, scoring his first goal at senior level against Zulte
Waregem in the 89th minute after coming on as substitute for Kanu on 28
August 2009. "After scoring I dived into a sea of happiness," he told
Berend Scholten from UEFA.com. "You think you are flying and can take on
the whole world." He ended the season as the top goalscorer in the Pro
League with 15 goals as Anderlecht won its 30th Belgian title. He also
scored four goals during the club's run to the last 16 of the 2009–10
UEFA Europa League. During the 2010–11 season, Lukaku scored 20 goals in
all competitions, but Anderlecht failed to retain their league title
despite finishing top of the table during the regular season.
Chelsea
Lukaku warming up for Chelsea in 2013
Transfer
In August 2011, Lukaku joined Premier League club
Chelsea for a fee reported to be around €12 million (£10 million),
rising to €20 million (£17 million) in add-ons. Lukaku was given the
number 18 shirt and signed a five-year contract.
2011–12 season
Lukaku made his debut at Stamford Bridge in a 3–1
victory over Norwich City in the 83rd minute, coming on as a substitute
for Fernando Torres. Lukaku made his first start for Chelsea in the
League Cup against Fulham. Chelsea went on to win the match on
penalties. He spent the majority of the season playing for the reserves
and started his first Premier League match on 13 May 2012, against
Blackburn Rovers, and turned in a man of the match performance,
providing an assist for John Terry's opener. However, Lukaku stressed he
was disappointed with his involvement at the end of his debut season,
revealing that, after his side's UEFA Champions League win in the final
on 19 May, he refused to hold the trophy, explaining "it wasn't me, but
my team that won".
2012–13 season: Loan to West Bromwich Albion
Lukaku playing for West Bromwich Albion in 2012
After speculation linking Lukaku to a loan move to
Fulham,[18] on 10 August 2012, he joined West Bromwich Albion on a
season-long loan deal.[19] He scored his first league goal eight days
later, coming on as a substitute in the 77th minute in a 3–0 win against
Liverpool. He made his full debut in a win against Reading at The
Hawthorns, scoring the match's only goal.[21] On 24 November, Lukaku
came on as a 70th-minute substitute for Shane Long and netted a penalty
and provided an assist to Marc-Antoine Fortuné, as West Brom defeated
Sunderland 4–2 away at the Stadium of Light. The win proved to be West
Brom's fourth consecutive win in the top flight for the first time since
1980.[23] On 12 January 2013, Lukaku had his first multi-goal game in
the Premier League, giving West Brom a 0–2 lead against Reading, before
a late comeback gave the Berkshire club a 3–2 victory at the Madejski
Stadium.[24] In the face of claims he wanted to stay with West Brom for
another year, Lukaku confirmed to the press he still wished to become a
legend at Stamford Bridge. On 11 February, Lukaku came on as a
substitute and scored his tenth Premier League goal of the season
against Liverpool in a match that ended 2–0.
He scored his second brace of the campaign, scoring
both goals for West Brom in their 2–1 home defeat of Sunderland on 23
February. On 9 March, in a league match against Swansea City, Lukaku
scored the equalising goal before having a penalty kick saved; West Brom
eventually won the game courtesy of a Jonathan de Guzmán own goal. On 19
May, coming on as a second-half substitute, Lukaku scored a remarkable
second-half perfect hat-trick, as West Brom came from three goals down
to draw 5–5 in the season's final home match against Manchester United.
The match was Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,500th and last match in charge of
United, and the highest-scoring draw in the history of the Premier
League.[30] Despite being loaned out by the club, Lukaku outscored all
of his Chelsea teammates in the Premier League that season, being the
sixth-highest goal scorer of the 2012–13 season with 17 goals. Lukaku
played two Premier League matches for Chelsea at the beginning of the
2013–14 season. He also came on as a substitute in the 2013 UEFA Super
Cup, ultimately missing the deciding penalty in the shootout as Manuel
Neuer saved his shot and Chelsea lost to Bayern Munich.
2013–14 season: Loan to Everton
Lukaku pre-match with Everton in 2014
On the final day of the summer 2013 transfer
window, Lukaku joined Everton on a season-long loan. The striker made
his début for the Toffees away to West Ham United on 21 September 2013,
scoring the winning goal in a 3–2 victory for Everton. During the
header, he had a collision with a West Ham defender and was taken off
the pitch for some treatment. The physio had to tell him he had scored
the winner. He scored twice on his home debut nine days later in a 3–2
win against Newcastle United, as well assisting Ross Barkley's goal. He
then opened the scoring in a 3–1 defeat to Manchester City in the
following match. He continued his impressive start at the club by
netting the opening goal in a 2–0 win over Aston Villa, and then scored
twice in the first Merseyside derby of the season as Everton drew 3–3
against Liverpool, with Lukaku stating afterwards it was the best
experience he has had in his short career.
In January 2014, Lukaku was named by The Guardian
as one of the ten most promising young players in Europe, but later in
the month was taken off on a stretcher with an ankle ligament damage
after Gareth Barry slipped and slid into the striker as he attempted to
block Steven Gerrard's opening goal in the Merseyside derby against
Liverpool. Lukaku made his return from injury against West Ham in March
2014, scoring the only goal of the match on the 81st minute after coming
on as a second-half substitute. On 6 April, he scored one goal and
assisted another as Everton beat Arsenal 3–0 at Goodison Park to record
a sixth consecutive Premier League win. His final goal for the loan
period came on the last day of the season as he scored the second in a
2–0 win over Hull City. Lukaku found the net 15 times in 31 league
matches to help Everton to fifth place with a club record of 72 Premier
League points.
Everton
Transfer and 2014–15 season
Lukaku playing for Everton in 2015
Lukaku signed a five-year deal with Everton in July
2014 for a club record fee of £28 million, and he was assigned the
number 10 shirt. He scored his first goal as a permanent player on 13
September, against his former club West Brom. Lukaku did not celebrate
the goal, and was applauded by the West Brom fans for his sign of
respect. On 19 February 2015, Lukaku scored his first Everton hat-trick
in a 4–1 win for Everton against BSC Young Boys in the UEFA Europa
League last 32; he struck with a header, a right-foot shot and a
left-foot shot. He added another two goals in a 3–1 win in the second
leg a week later. With eight goals, he was the tournament's joint
highest scorer that season, alongside Alan of Red Bull Salzburg.
2015–16 season
In the second game of the 2015–16 Premier League
season, Lukaku scored a first-half double in Everton's 0–3 win at
Southampton on 15 August 2015 with his first two shots on target. Before
the match, he presented a T-shirt to a home fan whom he had accidentally
struck with the ball during shooting practice. On 26 August, he scored
another brace in a 5–3 extra-time win over League One side Barnsley in
the League Cup. On 28 September, Lukaku scored twice and assisted the
other against West Brom as he managed to guide his team from losing 2–0
to winning 2–3. He scored against Liverpool the following week in a 1–1
draw at Goodison Park. On 21 November, Lukaku scored twice in a 4–0 win
over Aston Villa, becoming the fifth player under 23 years of age to
score at least 50 Premier League goals, after Robbie Fowler, Michael
Owen, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. On 7 December, Lukaku scored a
close-range goal in a 1–1 draw against Crystal Palace, his 50th in 100
appearances in all competitions for Everton. On 12 December, Lukaku
became the first Everton player to score in six consecutive Premier
League matches, and the first to score in seven consecutive matches in
all competitions since Bob Latchford 40 years previously, when he opened
the scoring in the Toffees' 1–1 draw with Norwich City at Carrow Road.
In his next match, a 3–2 defeat to Leicester City, Lukaku became the
first Everton player since Dave Hickson in 1954 to score in eight
consecutive matches.
On 6 February 2016, Lukaku scored his 20th goal of
the season in a 0–3 victory at Stoke City, meaning he was the first
Everton player since Graeme Sharp to score at least 20 goals in all
competitions in consecutive seasons for Everton. The strike was also his
16th league goal of the season, equalling Premier League goal scoring
records for Everton set by Tony Cottee and Andrei Kanchelskis in the
mid-1990s.[58] Lukaku followed this goal with another strike in a 0–2
victory at AFC Bournemouth's Dean Court for his 21st goal of the season.
This victory sent Everton into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, and
equalled the number of goals scored in all competitions by Yakubu for
Everton in the 2007–08 season, the previous best in the Premier League
era. On 1 March, Lukaku scored in a 1–3 victory against Aston Villa at
Villa Park, his 17th league goal of the season, a Premier League-era
record for Everton. The goal also meant Lukaku had equalled his previous
best goal return in a league season, set during his loan spell at West
Brom in the 2012–13 season.
2016–17 season
Lukaku with Everton in 2017
On 12 September 2016, Lukaku scored his first goals
of the 2016–17 season with all three goals in a 3–0 against Sunderland
at the Stadium of Light. His goals were scored in 11 minutes and 37
seconds, making it the 12th-fastest hat-trick in Premier League history.
On 4 February 2017, Lukaku scored four goals, the first of which was
Everton's fastest ever Premier League goal, against Bournemouth in a 6–3
victory at Goodison Park. It was also the 300th hat-trick scored in the
Premier League. On 25 February 2017, he equalled Duncan Ferguson's club
record for Premier League goals, scoring his 60th EPL goal for the
Toffees in a 2–0 victory over Sunderland at Goodison Park. On 5 March,
he surpassed Ferguson to become the outright record holder, scoring in a
3–2 loss against Tottenham Hotspur away at White Hart Lane. In the next
match, a 3–0 home win against West Brom, Lukaku scored to become the
first Everton player since Bob Latchford to score 20 or more goals in
all competitions for three consecutive seasons. A week later, during a
4–0 victory over Hull City, he scored twice to take his league goals
tally to 21 for the season, thereby becoming the first Everton player
since Gary Lineker 31 years previously to surpass 20 league goals in a
season, as well as being the fourth player and first foreign player to
score 80 Premier League goals before the age of 24.
In March 2017, Lukaku turned down a new five-year
contract worth a reported £140,000 a week amidst rumours of a return to
Chelsea. In an interview, he questioned the club's ambition to make big
transfers and chase Champions League qualification, offending his
manager Ronald Koeman. A goal in a 3–1 win for Everton against Burnley
on 15 April meant Lukaku was the first Everton player since Bob
Latchford to score 25 goals in two consecutive seasons in all
competitions, and the first player since the legendary Dixie Dean to
score in nine consecutive matches at Goodison Park. On 20 April 2017,
Lukaku was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the first time. He was
also included in the six player shortlists for the PFA Players' Player
of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year awards.
Manchester United
Transfer
Lukaku joined Manchester United on 10 July 2017,
signing a five-year contract with the option of a further year. Although
the fee was officially undisclosed, it was reported to be worth an
initial £75 million, plus £15 million in add-ons. Thus, he became a
teammate with his French-speaking close friend Paul Pogba. Lukaku's
signing came a day after former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney
left the club to return to Everton, Rooney's boyhood club. Ahead of the
2017–18 season, Lukaku asked the permission of Zlatan Ibrahimović if he
could take over the number 9 shirt from him. Lukaku was confirmed to
have been given the number on 14 July.[81]
2017–18 season
Lukaku playing for Manchester United in the UEFA
Champions League in 2017
Lukaku made his debut against Real Madrid on 8
August in the 2017 UEFA Super Cup, and scored his first competitive goal
for the club in a 2–1 defeat.[82] His league debut came five days later
at home to West Ham. Lukaku scored twice in a 4–0 win,[83] becoming the
fourth Manchester United player to score two goals on his Premier League
debut for the club. On 12 September, he scored his first UEFA Champions
League goal in a 3–0 win over FC Basel. On 17 September, Lukaku scored
United's third goal in a 4–0 win over his former club Everton, with
Lukaku running over towards Everton fans and cupping his ears during his
goal celebration in response to being booed throughout the game. On 27
September, Lukaku scored twice in a 4–1 win over CSKA Moscow, taking his
tally to 10 goals in his first nine appearances. In doing so, he broke
the record set by Sir Bobby Charlton who had scored nine goals in his
first nine appearances for the club. In a 2–1 win over his former club
Chelsea on 25 February 2018, Lukaku scored the equaliser and then
assisted Jesse Lingard's game-winning goal. He scored his 200th goal for
club and country on 13 March in a 2–1 away defeat to Sevilla that
eliminated Manchester United from the Champions League in the round of
16. On 31 March 2018, Lukaku scored to open a 2–0 home win over Swansea.
It was his 100th Premier League goal in his 216th game, and made him the
fifth youngest of the 28 players to reach the tally.
2018–19 season
Lukaku started the 2018–19 season with four goals
in his first five appearances, including a brace against Burnley, before
a 12-game drought lasting from 19 September to 27 November 2018. Goals
against Southampton and Fulham followed before the sacking of manager
José Mourinho, only for Mourinho's replacement – former United striker
Ole Gunnar Solskjær – to leave Lukaku out of the squad entirely for his
first two games in charge against Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town.
Lukaku made substitute appearances in United's next two games against
Bournemouth and Newcastle United, scoring in both matches within two
minutes of coming on. He then played the full 90 minutes of the FA Cup
third round tie against Reading, scoring the second goal in a 2–0 win.
However, Solskjær continued to prefer to start Marcus Rashford up front
and Lukaku started just five of the next nine games, playing the full 90
minutes in just two and failing to score in any of them. His goalscoring
form returned for the next three games, as he scored braces against each
of Crystal Palace, Southampton and Paris Saint-Germain. The goals
against PSG were part of a 3–1 win that saw United through to the
Champions League quarter-finals on the away goals rule, the first time
any team had progressed after losing at home in the first leg by two
goals or more.[96] However, United were eliminated by Barcelona in the
quarterfinals 4–0 on aggregate.
Inter Milan
2019–20 season
Lukaku joined Italian club Inter Milan on 8 August
2019, signing a five-year contract for a fee reported to be a club
record €80 million. He later mentioned the reasons for leaving
Manchester United, by claiming that he was made a scapegoat alongside
other players such as Paul Pogba and Alexis Sánchez, in addition to
club's failure to protect him against rumours about his future. Lukaku
made his debut for Inter Milan on 26 August in the opening Serie A
matchday against Lecce, netting his side's third goal with his first
shot in a 4–0 home win. The goal meant that Lukaku has found the net in
his first league game for five of the six clubs he has represented;
Anderlecht, West Brom, Everton, Manchester United, and Inter; he also
become only the third Belgian to score for Inter in Serie A, after Enzo
Scifo and Radja Nainggolan. In the club's second league game of the
season at Cagliari on 1 September, Lukaku scored the match-winning goal
from the penalty spot to give Inter a 2–1 victory away from home;
however, he was subject to racial abuse from some of the Cagliari fans.
In the first months since his arrival, Lukaku
formed an attacking partnership with Argentine youngster Lautaro
Martínez, dubbed "Lu-La" by Italian media. This became after the duo
scored a brace each in the 4–3 away win against Sassuolo in October,
giving Inter the first triumph since 2016. On 2 November, Lukaku scored
a brace in a 2–1 away win over Bologna in Serie A, which saw him match
Ronaldo's record of nine goals in his first 11 league appearances for
the club. On 27 November, Lukaku scored his first UEFA Champions League
goal for Inter in a 3–1 away win against Slavia Prague in the group
stage; in addition to that, he also assisted the two other goals scored
by Lautaro Martínez and had two goals disallowed himself. In the final
match home against Barcelona, Lukaku scored his side's only goal in a
2–1 defeat, meaning that Inter was transferred to Europa League for the
second season in a row.
He begun the new year on 6 January by scoring a
brace in a 3–1 win against Napoli, giving Inter the first league win at
Stadio San Paolo since October 1997; he earned praise from the media for
his first goal scored in the 14th minute, which came from an individual
effort. On 9 February, Lukaku scored the final goal of the 4–2 home win
over cross-town rivals Milan, sending Inter to the top of the table and
giving them another double over Milan; it was also his 17th league goal
of the season.
On 25 July, Lukaku scored a brace in a 3–0 win at
Genoa; in doing so, he became the first Inter player since István Nyers
in 1949–50 season to score 15 away goals in a Serie A season, and the
first do to so in his debut season. He concluded his first Serie A
season with 23 goals, as Inter finished runner-up by just one point to
Juventus in the standings; only Ronaldo (25) and Nyers (26) have scored
more than him in their debut season at Inter. On 5 August, Lukaku scored
in a 2–0 win over Getafe in the Europa League's round of 16, helping his
side reach the quarter-finals of a European competition for the first
time since 2011. It was his 30th goal in all competitions, a new
personal best, and he had also scored for the 8th consecutive Europa
League match, equalling the all-time record set by Alan Shearer in
2004–05. In the quarter-finals on 10 August, he broke the record,
scoring in his ninth consecutive match in the competition in a 2–1
victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Düsseldorf, to send Inter into the
semi-finals.[124] On 17 August, Lukaku scored a brace in a 5–0 win
against Shakhtar Donetsk—his tenth consecutive match in the
competition—as Inter reached the final. In the final, he earned and
scored a penalty in the 5th minute, but also scored an own goal in the
74th minute, which was eventually the winning goal for Sevilla in a 3–2
defeat. Lukaku equalled Ronaldo's record in 1997–98 season, by scoring
34 goals in all competitions.
2020–21 season
On 21 October 2020, Lukaku scored a brace in a 2–2
draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the first match of the 2020–21
UEFA Champions League. On 1 December, he scored another brace against
Borussia Mönchengladbach to secure a 3–2 away win. However, Inter drew
their last match against Shakhtar Donetsk, to finish last in their group
and to be eliminated from all European competitions.
On 14 February, he scored a brace and got an assist
against Lazio in a 3–1 victory, bringing his Serie A tally to 16 goals
for the season and equalling Cristiano Ronaldo as the league's top
scorer. Lukaku's second goal was also the 300th of his professional
career.
Inter won the 2020–21 Serie A for the first time
since the 2009–10 season. Lukaku finished the season 2020–21 with 24
league goals, 11 assists. Making him the highest scorer on the
title-winning team and the second highest-scorer in the league, behind
Ronaldo.
Return to Chelsea
2021–22 season
On 12 August 2021, Lukaku returned to his former
club Chelsea, a decade after he had originally joined the club, for a
reported club record fee of £97.5 million.
Information extracted from Wikipedia