Former Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins has said that manager José Mourinho should reconsider his decision to sell Romelu Lukaku in the summer. It is widely believed that Mourinho has made the decision to fill the Belgian international in order to raise money to bring in Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid. The striker is expected to cost in the region of £ 35 million and due to the FFP regulations, Chelsea will not be able to spend that kind of money on one single player.
Lukaku, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at West Brom and Everton, has reportedly fell out with Mourinho and will be sold in order to accommodate the new striker. However, the Belgian international has impressed heavily during this period by scoring 15 and 17 goals in the league. His physical stature is almost similar to that of Didier Drogba, who was a key part of Chelsea success in the last decade. Even after two years, the club still play the kind of football that suits Drogba. Wilkins reckons that Lukaku can become the new Drogba with proper guidance.
In the past, the 21-year-old has tried to avoid comparisons with Drogba by saying that he is a different kind of player to the Ivory Coast international.
“He has to come back to Chelsea in my opinion. This young man is the closest thing you’ll see to the ‘Drog’ at such a young age. The 21-year-old’s success at Everton also presents a difficulty for boss Roberto Martinez as it appears the Toffees will struggle to land the striker again either on loan or permanently. Lukaku scored 16 goals at Everton in the Premier League so [his departure] is a massive problem for Roberto Martinez, as it was for West Brom,” said Wilkins, who is now a pundit.