Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku has slammed Chelsea for typecasting him as a carbon copy of Didier Drogba, limiting his potential and stifling his unique playing style.
Lukaku, now thriving at Napoli, expressed his frustration on the Friends of Sports podcast, saying, “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 striker feels the misconceptions about his game harmed his reputation in England. “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.'”
Lukaku’s two-year stint at Inter Milan revitalized his career. “I played two years at Inter, ‘he’s back to goal, he’s the best player in the world, he’s top 5.'” His impressive form earned him a permanent move to Napoli last summer.
Lukaku’s journey:
– 2011: Signed with Chelsea
– 2012-2014: Loaned to West Bromwich Albion and Everton
– 2014: Permanent contract at Everton
– 2017: Joined Manchester United
– 2019: Moved to Inter Milan
– 2023: Joined Napoli
Lukaku’s candid remarks highlight the importance of understanding a player’s unique strengths and weaknesses, rather than forcing them into predetermined molds.