Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku has hit out at Chelsea for limiting him in ‘a box’ as far as his style of play is concerned, thinking he was a new Didier Drogba.

Lukaku joined the Blues as a young attacker but left for Everton when it was clear he was not in their plans. The Belgian returned to Stamford Bridge in a multi-million pounds deal from Inter Milan in 2019 and yet again failed to perform.

He was sold permanently to Napoli last summer transfer window and has started on a bright note for Antonio Conte’s side.

The Belgian international told podcast channel Friends of Sports, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, that he and Drogba do not play the same kind of football.

“In England, they wanted to put me in a box. They see someone built like me and think: new Drogba. I’m not like that.

“Didier was more back to goal, he could hold up the ball no matter where you play it in from. That wasn’t my style.

“The narratives when I was in England was ‘he’s lazy, he doesn’t work hard, he’s not a leader, he’s selfish, first, he cannot hold a ball, blah blah blah.’

“I played two years at Inter, ‘he’s back to goal, he’s the best player in the world, he’s top 5,’” he added (via OneFootball).

Lukaku first signed for the Blues in 2011 and spent the next two seasons (2012-13 and 2013-14) on loan at West Bromwich Albion and Everton, respectively. He signed a permanent contract at Everton in 2014.

He then secured a deal at Manchester United in 2017.

Despite scoring 42 goals and providing 12 assists in 96 outings for the Old Trafford-based outfit across two seasons, he joined Inter Milan in 2019.