Last summer saw striker Romelu Lukaku rejoin Chelsea from Inter Milan. The commanding attacker, who first left the Blues back in 2012, found himself back at his old stomping ground following a deal worth a whopping £102m.
The Belgium international’s blockbuster summer move saw him become football’s most expensive player in cumulative fees.
However, despite his huge cost and massive reputation as one of Europe’s most enigmatic attackers, Lukaku’s second stint at Stamford Bridge has not gone to plan.
Very much out of favour with manager Thomas Tuchel, who continues to prefer the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, Lukaku has found himself sidelined for large parts of this season, and according to a recent report from Calciomercato, that could lead to the Belgian returning back to his former club on loan.
Chelsea also finds itself facing an uncertain future with owner Roman Abramovich recently sanctioned by the UK Government following the ongoing conflict between Russia and the Ukraine.
However, although entirely different problems to try and solve, Lukaku’s plight back in the Premier League will still serve as a major concern.
Not only have the club invested heavily in the 28-year-old but his apparent unhappiness and seeming unwillingness to fight for his place does not reflect well on those who advocated for his transfer, most notably club chief Marina Granovskaia, who can probably consider Lukaku’s summer move as an unusual black mark on her CV.
