Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku spent the past season on loan with West Bromwich Albion, and was simply explosive and incredible for the Baggies.
Don't expect Chelsea to allow him to leave quite so easily this summer.
In fact, you'd have to think that Chelsea would be incredibly unlikely to allow their star striker to leave this summer after watching his performances during the year.
Regardless of who they sign and whether they keep Fernando Torres on their books, Chelsea must ensure that Lukaku is still around come the start of the 2013-14 season. What's more, they must ensure that the Belgian international is getting the starting minutes he deserves to have.
The Blues haven't handled the playing future of Lukaku well so far, but they would be simply mad to allow the striker to leave over the summer transfer window again.
West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster—who played the season with Lukaku—issued similar sentiments via ESPN when asked about the up-and-coming star striker.
He was unplayable. As soon as he came on, you could see that they were physically scared of him. He dominated everything that came his way.
He has done so much for us and I'm really happy for him because he's a nice lad. There's no way he's coming back here next season. Chelsea would be fools to let him come back with the way their forward line is misfiring. He is exactly what they need...
Chelsea originally signed Lukaku in August of 2011 for €22 million according to Transfermarkt, but only gave him four starting appearances all season.
He was then sent out on loan this year to gather experience, and with his first real opportunity, showed just how dominant he can be. He netted 17 goals for the Baggies and picked up a handful of assists also, and was a dominant force at the top of the attack—something that Chelsea dearly missed.
And as such, the Blues simply must keep him for next season—regardless of what other players they sign or how many strikers they have on their books.
Lukaku is simply that good—he must be in their regular starting team.
According to Squawka, Lukaku finished the season with a shot accuracy of 65 percent—significantly above that of Demba Ba, Torres or any other Blues striker.
The Belgian is a big, strong finisher who has a great eye for the goal, and at just 20 years of age, represents a huge player for the future.
Chelsea—for all we know—could well have the next Didier Drogba in their hands, and so, they cannot afford to let him leave for another season.
Chelsea—and all their attacking inconsistencies—must start reaping the rewards of Lukaku's brilliance now and start to give him the opportunities he deserves.
For if not, they could well end up losing the Belgian international and be forced to watch his career blossom into a world-class striker and rue their mistake.
Lukaku is too good to be out on loan again.
He showed against Manchester United on the weekend that he is a premier striker and far better than anything that the Blues have had up front this season.
Moreover, he showed that without the midfield support that he would have at Chelsea, so we can only begin to imagine just how dominant he could be at Stamford Bridge in the near future.
Letting him leave, again, would simply be madness.
Chelsea must not make that mistake again over the summer transfer window.
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~Bleacher Report - Chelsea~Read more... Chelsea Transfer News: Blues Must Keep Romelu Lukaku This Summer
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