On August 12, Beijing time, the German transfer market website updated the latest issue of the transfer price list, and Romelu Lukaku, who has just transferred from Inter Milan to Chelsea for 115 million euros, surpassed Neymar (310 million euros) to become the top of the list. The cumulative transfer value has reached 327 million euros, equivalent to more than 2.5 billion yuan. Looking back at Lukaku's career so far, it is really a twist and turn.
Young fame "Little Warcraft" turned out to be a success
Born in Antwerp, Belgium's largest port city in 1993, he began to contact the professional football training system at the age of 6, during which time he joined the amateur team, the First Division Youth Team, and the 13-year-old Lukaku was recruited by the anderlecht Football Club Youth Academy.
On 24 May 2009, in the second round of the Belgian Football League Europa League play-offs Anderlecht against Standard Liège F.C., the 16-year-old Lukaku made his career debut as a substitute in the 65th minute of the match.
On 22 August of the same year, in and in the fourth round of the First League, Anderlecht scored the first goal of his career against Zurtvaregan FC, helping Anderlecht beat Zurtvaregan 2-0. Since then, Lukaku's form has become more and more unmanageable, and in the 09-10 season, Lukaku scored a total of 15 goals for the team, becoming the team's youngest season scoring champion.
The astonishing performance has also attracted the attention of many european giants, everyone knows that Lukaku is running out of time in Anderlecht, on 8 August 2011, Chelsea club spent 15 million euros to bring the 18-year-old Lukaku to the four major leagues, he stayed in Anderlecht's data sheet to stay in the league 72 games, scoring 33 goals, 13 assists, 8 goals in 22 Champions League games.
Because the style and appearance of the ball were too similar to the Warcraft Drogba, fans at that time affectionately called it "Little Monster".
Frequent rentals Genius teenagers have been questioned
The English Premier League has always been the most competitive league in the world, and there is no doubt that this is too difficult for Lukaku, who has played well in the small league. In his first season with Chelsea, he had only 8 league appearances and achieved nothing but one assist.
In the 2012-13 season, Lukaku joined West Bromwich Albion on loan, making 35 league appearances, scoring 17 goals, seven assists and slapping the doubters with a loud slap.
The good times did not last long, and Lukaku, who had just returned to Chelsea at the end of the loan season, suffered another blow.
On 31 August 2013, during the UEFA Super Cup final between Chelsea and FC Bayern Munich, Germany, 20-year-old Lukaku saved a penalty in the fifth round of the penalty shootout by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and finally Chelsea lost to Bayern 4-5 in regular time, 1-1 in extra time and penalty shootout, missing the UEFA Super Cup.
Just one day after the match, Chelsea announced a €3.5 million loan signing of Lukaku to Everton. 2 years between 3 teams wandering, the talented teenager is controversial.
Four years of grinding a sword Doubled in value
After joining Everton on loan, in just one season, Lukaku conquered the Toffee fans, 31 league games, 15 goals and 8 assists, and carried the team's attack completely on his shoulders. At the end of the season, the German transfer market Lukaku's value has reached 25 million euros, and given his excellent performance, Everton has to spend 35 million euros to keep him at Goodison Park.
In 4 seasons at Everton, Lukaku has improved in each of them. He has made 141 league appearances, scoring 68 goals and 26 assists. Scored 8 goals in 9 Europa League games. Unfortunately, Everton's achievements in these years have not been able to form an essential breakthrough. Lukaku, who longed for a bigger stage, could only leave.
Former Everton FC manager Ronald Koeman commented that Lukaku's ability to finish is outstanding. He was able to keep a cool head and in terms of the handling of the final shot, he was one of the best players I've seen in my playing and coaching career. He's also very good at running in offense. I think he can also give the team more help on the defensive end.
Lukaku, who had just won the Silver Boot with 25 league goals, was worth 50 million euros, and finally Manchester United welcomed the first striker in the history of the post-Ferguson era with 84.7 million euros.
The second low is that the figure is out of shape and declines
In his first season at Manchester United, Lukaku made 34 Premier League appearances, scoring 16 goals and contributing 7 assists; 2 appearances in the English League Cup, scoring 0 goals; and making 6 appearances in the FA Cup, scoring 5 goals and contributing 2 assists. The performance is remarkable, the body, speed, shooting strength is undoubtedly displayed, but the team's performance is not good, and the fans' expectations for him are getting higher and higher.
The club with the most and the most discerning fans in the world, Lukaku's every move can be in the spotlight. In this, Lukaku is no longer the absolute main force, once there is a 1-2 game poor, it is possible to replace, not to mention that under the shadow of Ibrahimovic, he is somewhat depressed, Manchester United's turbulent coaching management, poor tactical arrangement, but also make the team as a whole poor, the forward line has become the target of public criticism. The disfigurement of the figure has become the focus of the fans' attack, and the team is naturally drifting away.
On 8 August 2019, the day before the Premier League transfer window closed, Inter Milan announced the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United. With a transfer fee of 74 million euros, Lukaku became Inter's most expensive star in 111 years.
Nirvana is reborn And the king returns
At Inter, Lukaku quickly gained the trust of manager Conte for his performance, and his bloated figure disappeared and replaced it with a 6-pack abs that stood out, making a total of 51 appearances in the first season, scoring 34 goals and 6 assists. 34 goals, and the most goals scored in a single season of Lukaku's career. Some Manchester United fans teased, how to leave Manchester United and return to the second spring one by one?
Inter Milan star Christian Vieri said that Lukaku is the strongest striker in the world, he is stronger than Kane, Lewandowski and Suarez. He was unstoppable, his physique and speed were much stronger than the others, and he was a beast.
In the past 20-21 season, Lukaku continued his explosive form, scoring 30 goals and 10 assists in 44 games to help Inter regain the Serie A title after a long absence.
A new journey Back to where the dream began
In the new season, when Chelsea asked Inter Milan for 115 million euros to buy Lukaku, Inter Milan, who was in deep financial crisis, knew that the offer could not be rejected by himself, and the beast would eventually return to the place where all dreams began, returning home and restoring the glory of the king.
Lukaku signed a five-year contract with Chelsea, and according to British media, the transfer fee reached a record 97.5 million pounds (about $135 million) for Chelsea clubs. In addition, this figure is quite close to the Record Of 100 Million Pounds in British Football, which was set by Manchester City's new signing Glalish not long ago.
"I feel happy and lucky to be back at such a good club." "It's been a long journey for me, I was here as a kid and I had a lot to learn," Lukaku said. Now I return with a wealth of experience and a more mature attitude. ”
Ten years ago, the 18-year-old Lukaku joined Chelsea for the first time, he should not have thought that ten years later, he will return to Stamford Bridge, a dream, a dream, and we see how the king chases the dream.