Romelu Lukaku hopes to end the season as the top marksman on the Chelsea books, although he will not feature for the Londoners again this term.
The Belgian international was a big-money signing for the Stamford Bridge club back in the summer of 2011, but he failed to score in his eight Premier League outings. He was allowed to spend the following season on loan at West Bromwich Albion so he could gain regular first team action, and he responded with 17 goals in 35 matches.
Lukaku had hoped to be given his chance for Chelsea under Jose Mourinho this term, but despite featuring in their opening two games, he was sent to Everton on deadline day for another temporary stay. And he has been in sensational form whilst on Merseyside, with his goal in the 3-1 loss at Manchester City his fourth in just three outings.
Back at his parent club, only midfielder Oscar has managed to register more than one goal, having found the back of the net three times. Meanwhile, recognised strikers Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba are yet to open their accounts, which has led to suggestions Mourinho has dropped a clanger in allowing the 20-year-old to leave.
Lukaku has revealed he asked for another temporary spell when it became clear he wasn’t going to be a regular, and his manager was happy to let him do so. And he is now aiming to make sure this is a decision Mourinho will live to regret this season, as he plans to outscore the strikers the Special One felt were ahead of the youngster in the pecking order.
“The coach decides and, as a player, you have to respect that,” the former Anderlecht star told Het Nieuwsblad. “I chose to leave and it’s up to me to prove the coach wrong. The only thing I can do is play well and score a lot, I want to score more goals than the strikers of Chelsea. We will see at the end of the season who made the best choice.”
