Head to Head: Why Everton should not sign Romelu Lukaku
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Ask any Evertonian which player they would most like to see arrive at Goodison Park this summer, and chances are the answer you will get is ‘Romelu Lukaku’. The Belgian is still contracted to Chelsea, but spent a highly successful year on loan with Everton last season, and now that his nation’s World Cup campaign has ended, attention is turning to where the striker will be playing come the beginning of the new domestic season in just over a month’s time.
It does appear that Lukaku will be leaving Stamford Bridge at some point this summer, and understandably, following his 16 goals in 33 Everton appearances, he has been linked with a number of European clubs, the Toffees included.
But should Roberto Martinez and Everton be trying everything to get their man? Is Lukaku the right player to help take the club forward? For a number of reasons I would argue: no.
The first is the striker’s desire to play for Everton, or lack thereof. There’s little doubt that Lukaku enjoyed his time on Merseyside – see his celebration after scoring against Arsenal – and the togetherness of the Toffees squad has been one of its greatest strengths under Roberto Martinez. But one gets the impression that Lukaku’s ambition may outweigh his patience. The forward has repeatedly stated his desire to play in the Champions League, either with Chelsea or, as now seems more likely, elsewhere, and it remains to be seen whether Everton’s qualification for the Europa League will hold quite the same allure.
More recently, Lukaku has reaffirmed his desire to play at a club challenging for major honours: “I’m 21 but I think I’m experienced enough now. I’ve played a lot of games and scored a lot of goals and now I want to win titles and become one of the best.” The paradox, of course, is that in order for Everton to challenge for trophies, a striker of Lukaku’s calibre is needed, although there has been little indication from the player himself, at least publicly, that he would be willing to help make this happen. Indeed, at the moment it seems that the Belgian is more focussed on instant gratification.
Price, too, would be an inherent problem with any attempt to sign Lukaku. Estimates of Chelsea’s asking price for the striker range anywhere between £20 million and £30 million, but regardless, his acquisition would represent a significant jump in Everton’s record transfer outlay. Income from player sales and the new Premier League TV deal mean that Everton’s budget is less meagre than in previous years, but the squad is in need of some substantial additions.
Lukaku may well be worth his price tag: he’s young (still only 21), a proven goalscorer, and has scope to improve his overall play, but Everton’s needs for the upcoming season go beyond just a new striker. With a far busier schedule than last season, depth is needed throughout the team, particularly in midfield, and so the issue becomes not just whether Lukaku would be a good signing, but whether his signing would justify overlooking other areas of the team. If, as Roberto Martinez has stated, the Blues need six new players to compensate for their European excursions, then it would be unwise to splurge on just one.
I also have reservations about Lukaku’s suitability for Martinez’s Everton side. The forward’s physicality and pace certainly make him a threat to slower, weaker defences, especially when introduced later in a game, but his link play remains decidedly lacking. In a team whose style is founded on possession and ball retention, Lukaku’s pass completion was the worst of any outfield player, a mere 66.5%.
The manner in which Everton’s full backs are encouraged to push up can also leave them vulnerable to counter attacks, a weakness that is nullified so long as possession isn’t ceded cheaply. But here, too, Lukaku falls short. Along with Kevin Mirallas and Ross Barkley, the Belgian was dispossessed more than any of his teammates, as well as suffering more turnovers per game (1.6) than any other Everton player. Lukaku is a potent, effective striker, of that there is little doubt, but at Everton, he often seems a square peg in a round hole.
There is also the question of alternative signings. I’ve written before on how Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck would be a more suitable addition to Martinez’s squad, and there are notable advantages to the club casting their net a little wider in the search for forward talent.
One option that has been mentioned in the press is Swansea’s Wilfried Bony, who marked his debut season in South Wales with a superb 25 goals following his move from Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem. Bony’s potential fee (likely to be significantly more than the £12 million Swansea paid for him a year ago) means that he is not a substantially more viable target than Lukaku, but he does represent the value that can be found in many of the world’s less high-profile leagues.
Lukaku is a known quantity, which makes him a safe bet, but the potential rewards, in terms of both value and goals, that come with unearthing a less heralded talent are surely worth a risk. Aston Villa’s capture of Christian Benteke from Genk, along with Swansea’s signings of Bony and Michu, are testament to this.
Indeed, regardless of the outcome, Lukaku’s protracted transfer saga is sure to be the first of many at Goodison Park this summer. There will be much speculation along the way, but whether the striker can be convinced to rejoin the Toffees or not, Evertonians can at least rest assured that their manager knows exactly what he’s doing.
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