Romelu Lukaku has proven Gary Neville wrong this season, though not for the right reasons. The striker was tipped a 'no-brainer' transfer for Chelsea in the summer, but has struggled to acclimatise to the Premier League upon his return to Stamford Bridge in the summer from Inter Milan.
He has found the net just 15 times in 43 appearances this season and his overriding misfortune in front of goal has often seen him relegated to the bench. For a large extent of the campaign, Kai Havertz has been preferred to the Belgium international, although Lukaku has recently worked his way back into Thomas Tuchel's plans of late.
However, regardless of Lukaku's upturn in form towards the end of the season, the former Manchester United defender has been left surprised at how much Chelsea's club-record signing has failed to meet expectations. Speaking on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, Neville detailed why he was optimistic of Lukaku's chances in west London, despite the player having withered at Old Trafford.
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"I thought that was a no-brainer - absolute no-brainer," said Neville, when speaking of Lukaku's chances to succeed at Chelsea. "He didn’t work at United and I thought at United he never settled, the style of play.
"Chelsea play a bit like an Italian team, they don’t press from the front, they don’t sprint like City, Liverpool, they’re more a methodical team who supply chances, I can’t believe how badly it’s gone for him."
Lukaku's uninspired return to Chelsea has cast doubt over his future, with several other factors also fuelling a case for the striker's exit; the infamous interview he gave to Sky Italia, his agent propelling an exit and a seven-touch display against Crystal Palace.
In the meantime, the west Londoners have been linked with a move for Robert Lewandowski. However, it's believed that the Belgian's future must be resolved first in order for the Blues to acquire the Bayern Munich striker, according to the Guardian.
The report claims that the Blues 'could join the race' to sign Robert Lewandowski despite the Bayern Munich striker favouring a summer move to Barcelona. The Poland international has featured 46 times for the German giants this season, directly contributing towards 57 goals across all competitions.
Despite his age, 33-year-old Lewandowski has continued to showcase his evergreen goal-scoring ability, attracting attention from a host of leading European sides. He sees his contract with Bayern expire at the end of next season, casting doubt over his future in Germany.
