Lukaku credits Martinez and Everton loan spell for his development

Lukaku's total of just on one goal every two games,in his first season will do me.

We are getting very picky here lads.
The best goalscorer we have had for many a year.

He's 19, got a great future ahead of him. Although I'm not so sure he's the complete striker yet but I think he's quick to learn and is only going to get better.

I believe if the price is right and he will have been talking to RM regularly and taking as much advice as possible from him that the only real barrier would be what Mourinho wants for him because, at the end of the day, he is their player with another couple of years left on his contract.

If he (Lukaku) thinks he is good enough to get into Chelski’s side now and Jose wants him, I think he will stay with them: otherwise, I would think we could be in with a shout – more so than some of these rag stories of him going here there and everywhere.

Being realistic, at this stage of his career, he is looking for consistently regular first-team football with a decent side in which he is wanted and will continue to learn; Everton can give him that – can anyone else guarantee all that for a young lad still learning his trade?

It is all down to being settled and wanted and surely we must be in a stronger position to offer him these things but who knows... it's down to what money Chelski are prepared to accept if they are to let him go. The clubs will have been talking about him all the time during his loan period so why would they stop talking all of a sudden when this loan ended?

He said himself - "I play for a manager who makes his team play really good football and I don't have to chase the ball all the time." That certainly isn't how Chelsea are set up to play

Hopefully Martinez can have a word and point this out to him. Sadly, I think he's not going to sign for us but I can dream...

All the best players have it.

He'd never played in that way before (according to the article) so if your criticism of him is that at times he hasn't been perfect as he adapted to playing a new role (at the age of 21) then I'd suggest you get a bit less picky, because if we don't sign him, the player we sign instead ain't gonna be as good as him.

It does seem very odd that he gushes about our manager, training, style of play and how much he's developed when at Everton, but doesn't seem interested in staying. Make the connection, son... what are you chasing that you can't achieve at Everton?

However, he scored 15 goals, which is excellent, his all round play is good and he's only 20. If he can get that ratio up to 75 or 80 - 20 he'll be banging in league goals a season and £25 mil wouldn't look expensive. BUT it is no myth, his first touch is shocking.

Plus he needs to shut up generally. He's constantly chatting shit in the media, changing his mind and digging himself into a hole. He needs better advisors.

He's said he's not interested in going to Spain and Wolfsburg haven't got a hope in hell, so I think that leaves us in pole position if Billy Boy coughs up the cash. He's a legend in the making, this boy.

Regardless, he isn't good enough. He slows down the attacks too often with his dodgy touch and is not busy enough in the box. Time and time again, the wingers or fullbacks were waiting to cross it to him while he just stood there like a fucking idiot. Strikers attack the near post, or move into space, not Lukaku.

I reckon he was successful in this team because the team is shit hot and another striker would have scored more. Wilfred Bony would be a better investment.

I am convinced, given a full pre-season season and starting with us in August rather than the end of September, then Lukaku would burst the net 20 times next season.

I don't want to see us up front with some striker running his arse off down blind alleys but never scoring enough goals. A striker is meant to reserve his energy for getting into scoring positions, like Yakubu in his first season.

To be fair, Lukaku is more of a runner and does better outside the box than Yakubu did, but Yakubu is the only Everton striker in the last 20 years to get past the 20-goal mark... Romelu Lukaku is the closest thing we have seen to equalling or surpassing that.

17 at West Brom and 16 here last season. 16 in 30 appearances?? That's a great return.

As for ball control?? Even goalscoring greats like Alan Shearer never had a world class first touch but he knew full well how to put that bloody ball away.

Let's just get his scoring record into perspective. Naismith scored 9 in 17 starts. This is because they both play in a decent team. He will be less successful elsewhere.

What's more worrying for him though, is that he doesn't realise his limitations as he is already describing himself as the 'complete player'. How can he possibly learn anything when he thinks he is already complete?

I agree, that "I'm a complete player" stuff is bollox, too much fawning from the Belgian press, I think.

I think we should do everything we can to sign him, though I doubt that will happen. I think a few on here will look back on their comments and cringe when he's banging in silly amounts of goals for one of Europe's top teams.

Yes, he blows hot and cold and he could improve his first touch but he is still developing as a player and looks set to go from strength to strength.

Many have compared him to Drogba. Didier didn't sign his first professional contract until he was 21 and only managed his first 17-goal season with Guingamp in Ligue 1 in his mid-twenties. Lukaku already has 71 league and international goals to his name.

Drogba went on to be Ivory Coast's all-time leading scorer and Chelsea's fourth highest goalscorer of all time. The potential Lukaku has is immense and we're going to have a hard time finding another striker to fill his boots!

If he goes on to score lots of goals for one of Europe's top teams, I won't look back and cringe any more than Mourinho will. I will simply say good on him, I was wrong, and hold my hands up... but I doubt it.

I think it's academic as a club with more resources than Everton is bound to put in a big offer for him after the World Cup. A real shame as he is definitely the 20-goal-a-season striker we have been craving for so long!

I do agree with the other lads who say he is nowhere close to being the complete player. He needs to keep his trap shut. Concentrate on improving his all round game (including his legendary first touch). And sign for the mighty blues, regardless what Peter Foy says.

I think Lukaku would be a good investment even at £25M and a top quality player for us. Think about it this way: £25M is a lot of cash, but we sold Fellaini for more.

Also saying such absolute statements at this stage in your career is pretty arrogant when surely the aim of a great player if to keep improving.

On a plus, he says some nice things about us and arrogance in a striker is usually a good thing. Still not convinced I'd put all our eggs in one basket and take him back, especially if he's already the complete striker!

Anyhow, can anyone name many English players who can control the ball in one touch or are much better? I certainly can’t. Not at the pace we play at in the PL too with three defenders around you.

Lukaku's only a kid, he won't peak till 25+. If we don't get him back at Everton next season, we will be weaker for it, that's for sure.

I don't know why he can't get better with his first touch after he's turned 21. Is that the age you stop learning?

Not at all. We don't hear Ross B telling everyone how he's the complete player, just how he wants to work hard and learn.

Raymond, I think paying £20-odd million for Bony is less risky.

Genuine question: Why do you all think that Mourinho doesn't want him?

Lukaku has so many similarities and he is still a very young man. Let’s just hope we can get him as that would be a real coup for Martinez and BK.

No not really.

Over the last 10 year's there is only two names who spring to mind.

Yakubu and Louis Saha.

Yakubu had only one great season but what a clinical season in 2007/08 that was, two hat-tricks and 21 goals, the most natural goalscorer I have seen at Everton in 20 years.

Loius Saha may well be more remembered during his Everton career as being a injury prone crock but when he was fit, boy was his ability there for all to see.

If Yakubu was our most natural goalscorer of the last 20 year's then Saha has to have been the most naturally gifted forward.

He had sublime skill, ability, agility, a rock hard shot, could score headers, left foot, right foot, and you could see even when he had signed for us at the age of 30, he may not have had the same lightening pace as in his younger years but he was still no slouch.

During Saha's time at Everton, yes he had injuries but when fit it was easy to see how he had forged the successful career which he had.

We have had other strikers, Big Dunc, probably the biggest cult hero amongst them all but you always felt he never quite reached his full potential or played in many good Everton teams that got even more out of him.

Wayne Rooney??

Fantastic talent again but here and gone before we really even had time to enjoy him, never scored enough goals in an Everton shirt to be remembered fondly enough in my opinion.

Andy Johnson?? James Beattie??

Never lived up to the excitement and expectation's upon their arrival.

I remember being chuffed to bits when Johnson signed for a then club record and he had a devastating start in a Everton shirt and early cult status after two against Liverpool in that 3-0 win, but that was as good as it ever got.

Tomasz Radzinski??

Loved his heart and his pace and was great in Moyes first season but started missing too many chances.

Super Kevin Campbell??

Another very reliable goalscorer, always will be remembered for our last win at Anfield (cheers Kev) but another we probably held on to for two years too long.

There have been many many strikers here over the last 20 year's but nowhere near enough who have had the capabilities to score that elusive 20 plus goals.

I would be amazed if he signed for us, and I'm guessing he probably thinks we are similar to the likes of West Brom, Stoke, Villa et al.

His first choice club will be Champions League bound, with big wages to match.

I love Lukaku's self-hype because, unlike some (Niklas Bendtner?) he can back it up by scoring goals. The kid is 21 years of age and already a cracking player.

In other news, it looks like he's off to Atletico now anyway so there you go.

All this "Will he? Won't he? Is he good enough or not?" is purely academic because it isn't going to happen.

Besides it's debatable whether or not we'll spend £20M on one player anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if the total transfer fund was less.

If our total transfer kitty is less than £20 million after all this new TV money, the appearances on live last season, the fact we raked in over £30 million last summer and another £7 million in January this year, and we haven't spent the same amount, then our board are going to have an awful lot of questions to answer.

One of the biggest yet is "Do you want to hold on to Roberto Martinez?" If so, then friggin well back him with the cash he needs to get us where both he and the fans want us to be.

We're going to be kept waiting till the World Cup is over. Then it will be "I’m off on holidays and will decide after that." Putting us basically into pre-season!!

Is it really that far fetched considering Roberto’s relationship with both Barry and Lukaku that he couldn’t just ask before they left Goodison "Is it worth me pursuing you or am I better off looking elsewhere?"

It’s as if we have just been waiting this last 12 months for Lukaku to go out of our price range. And believe me, if he knocks 4 or 5 goals in during the course of the World Cup he will be! What’s the point of waiting then?

Roger, that would be quite concerning. Surely they wouldn't try to pull the wool over Roberto's eyes with all this talk of fictitious new stadiums. Would they?

Roberto stated that we are going to need a far bigger squad next term, what with European commitment etc, and he did say we may need six or seven new signings so we can only assume it's really going to hot up from mid-July onwards...

"....and Wigan will still have a few left!"

Shearer's back-to-goal play was brilliant.

The only thing keeping him from joining us would be his ego and thinking he belongs at a bigger club.

The World Cup will decide his fate.

You can have immense self belief & confidence in your ability and... not talk shit.

Or you can have those personality traits and just be shit as you correctly highlight with Bendtner. Adebayor, who has the lot for me, thinks he's the tits. And his arrogance has gained him a fragmented career of underachievement.

I rate Lukaku. He's progressing, he's got all the tools to play the lone striker and net 15 or more league goals, which in itself means he will cost £20 million or over as those fellas are hard to find, and thats the reason they cost. He's also added playing wide of a 4-3-3 to his game.

His best years are ahead of him and I will be made up if we got him back here, even on loan. I will be very surprised if it happens, as it's clear where he thinks he should be.

But if he thinks he's the complete striker, ready to be first choice for a regular Champions League outfit, and by that I mean one that qualifies every year, he's talking out of his arse. His back-to-goal play, for one, can be seriously ropey and he's very inconsistent.

By the time he's 24/25, injuries permitting, maybe. Is he good enough for us right now? Absolutely. I think we're perfect for him for a season or two.

The arrogance is what makes him good. It's what makes me want him. A high profile, foreign ex-player (I think it was Leonardo) was talking about this a month or so ago. Some of the foreign players, and he mentioned Ibrahmovic, are far more arrogant than English ones, and the confidence makes them better players than they 'really' are or otherwise would be.

Arrogance can be channelled well so that it is no more than positive thinking, Lukaku has this in what looks to me like the right way. He doesn't say "I'm too good for this team" or "I'm better than my team mates", he just has a lot of self-belief. Call me crazy, but I want us to have a striker with self-belief.

And I don't think its us that is waiting til after the World Cup when it comes to Lukaku, its him and Chelsea.

Bobby, how good was it when he was 21? Because he was still at Southampton and his scoring record was shit.

James has it right when he says Lukaku has to have self-confidence okay, not necessarily arrogance, but confidence.

I do agree that he will probably not sign for us anyway, so it's all academic!

We have a great chance at present to at last break through 'the glass ceiling', that is if our esteemed board will reach inside their very deep pockets. A manager who is destined for the top and a group of young players that could bring us some long awaited success if kept together and strengthened by 2 or 3 quality players.
It's an opportunity that should be grasped.

Overall, the promise he shows is of a very high level and you are not going to find any top-rated 21-year-olds with proven Premier League experience for £10-12 million.

As for the arrogance, I would bet there has been a bit lost in translation and he is just talking about having learnt to play in another way / a different system.

We could get Bony but sell-on value, because of age, would not be the better investment. Wouldn't it show some balls if we got them both?

I couldn't say what Shearer's hold-up play was like at 21, although I'd wager it would have been more than decent.

Shearer was a one-in-three man in his last season at Saints & then took off bigtime. He was the complete pace, power, hold up play, go-in-behind-and-finish striker, until perhaps 97-98, and then the injuries stacked up. He was also incredibly strong mentally and had bags of self-belief and confidence.

I'm not saying I don't rate Lukaku. I just think he's talking bollocks when he says he's the complete striker.

The twilight of his career saw him hanging on like a bad smell claiming all of the skunks penalties in a desperate attempt to get Jackie Milburn's goalscoring record.

Yes, he believes Chelsea are great and wants to play for them and he knows that, unless he can get straight into their side, he will be a bench warmer.

He has stated that he is happy at Everton and that his football is the better for it. He seems to thinks the world of Martinez and is loved by our fans.

In short, he wants the best of both worlds. We do not have the money for a big fee and, although I don't think the money is that important to Chelsea, they will not want to release a developing player who for all intents and purpose is potentially the answer to their long search for a No 9.

So, to sum up, Lukaku will be back at Everton next season on an extended loan.

I wish he'd keep his mouth shut though as, although it's important for a striker to be confident in their own ability, this "complete striker" stuff is typical of these overpaid players.

He has a game next Tuesday against darkish horses Algeria where he could announce himself with a hat-trick or he could put the Algerians through on goal with one of his first-touches.

Do your talking on the pitch.

I don't get these "he has to be perfect now if we are going to spend £20m on him" comments. We don't put the same pressure on Ross or Stonesy who we are all prepared to give time to to benefit their development. But with this lad some of you want the finished product with what is basically just a big kid.

As far as the rest, he needs a reality check. Give me Sharpy, Inchy (Heath) for those of you too young, Lineker and loads more before my time who didn't play in an era when banging in 15 goals in one season made you world class at the age of 19.

Too much fannying about with players now. I'm still a bit old school, either sign now and be thankful or, if we're not good enough, go away. Some might say it's biting your nose off to spite your face; I call it 'pride'.

His goalscoring record is phenomenal and maybe I'm old school like Tony but there's nothing he could do for me on the pitch to make up for his persona.

It baffles me to no end that so many consider him the best player in the world. Shouldn't the best player in the world be someone who plays defense as well as offense? Who doesn't cheat?

In relation to the content of the article, if he feels Roberto has totally improved him, then he should come back here. Didn't Kenwright say he would sell his house to make sure the Lukaku deal was funded?? I guess its all in Lukaku's hands now after the World Cup... Surely he won't want a 3rd consecutive loan spell somewhere?? (Despite some reports this morning saying he's going to Madrid on loan.)

He's a brilliant attacking footballer but I hope he and his mate Pepe crash and burn at the World Cup.

http://i3.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/article3419502.ece/binary/efficient-strikers.png

Hugo it is... and if we could just get Matty Fryatt before he signs for Forest, we could rest easy.

You could argue the point that Lukaku would score more in a better team and I would argue that he was lucky to be in such a good team anyway.

By ranking it as such, it is suggesting that the likes of Ba, Jovetic and Rodallega were more productive this past season than Sturridge, Suarez and Toure.

Even for The Mirror you'd have to wonder who thought this was a good idea. I suppose they know their readers well.

Someone needs to give him a CD of his performances last season. Yes, he scored some goals but at times he was so frustrating. His first touch and the many times he didn't look arsed prove if anything he not the complete article.

£15 million is tops for him; if Billy can extract it from the couch, I would take him. Roberto will improve him but only if Lukaku acknowledges that he still has something to learn.

Shane, you are spot on about Ronaldo. It's always about him and only him. He's a fantastic player to watch against lower teams in La Liga. When he is under pressure in the top games against Barcelona, he goes missing too often. He didn't exactly have a stormer in the CL Final but in extra time you could see it was being set up for him to be the hero.

My 2-year-old grandson would stay on his feet more than him. Platini and his telly cronies were delighted with THEIR preferred outcome. Me, I just switched off when the shirt came off. Twat.

If at all possible we should pay £20 million if we can scrape it together. Money in the bank for the club,even if we stay true to type we will make money on him in two years.

As for Lukaku, as I have said before, despite his faults he is a good young striker. We have seen that he can perform with us, and he can only get better over the next five years, meaning we are guaranteed a profitable sell-on. So sign him up, if we can afford it. In fact, I think it is worth borrowing money to do so.

In what world is he not worth more than 15million? When a Jordan Rhodes would cost 12million nowdays. He is proven quality, and for proven quality, his price is relatively low. We could get a cheaper striker from abroad, but he wouldn't be as good, and there would be far more risk involved. And, let's reiterate this, he is 20. We laud Stones and Barkley, and they've not got anywhere near Lukaku. Barkley is the new gem of England, and he has managed 6 premier league, and no assists (from some sources) this season. He has had games where he has been completely absent, where he has lost the ball, and wasted the ball time and time again. Stones has had some magnificent games. And he has had games where his nervousness has turned him into a Bramble-esq figure, where he has left his position without reason, or needlessly given the ball away. Yet, it's fine for Stones and Barkley to have terrible games, to disappear, but Lukaku, because he does, is not worth 20million? My prediction is that Lukaku will be better them before, and finish his career with a better goals ratio, and more success, than Drogba.

Only time will tell, but he is definitely worth the investment.

Conclusive proof that such simplistic representations are worth 'eff' all to anyone who isn't laboriously trying to substantiate their own subjective view!

If you tend to score most of your goals in the first half but are routinely required to plug away for somewhere near 90 minutes each week then you are going to end up looking much worse than someone who gets the odd ten and twenty minutes against tiring defences or inferior opposition. That doesn't mean that the 'super-sub' will be as or more effective if he is then switched to the starting role.

When will people learn that you can't easily compare tactical use using very basic statistics? Actual observation will tell you much more.

Do Chelsea want to sell him?

If they do would he want to sign for Everton.

I think that if he has a good World Cup he will remain in blue for Chelsea. If he doesn't who knows what will happen.

I am concerned though that if for whatever reason we fail to sign him were leaving ourselves short to look for another striker.

0.02% of TW contributors believe this to be true.

He said that if you watched Lukaku on highlights you would think he was one of the best players in the world.

He then said if you watch him in the flesh its a little different. He spends large parts not being involved, "just walking about", and him not putting the effort in was the reason Chelsea got rid of him.

One of the last things I actually observed from him this season was him receiving the ball from Seamus on the right somewhere near the half-way line, turned, failed to get the ball under control properly and then ran off the feckin pitch with it. Not sure which game but couldn't believe what I was witnessing.

He has lots and lots of weaknesses and one strength. That is, he scores goals.