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Lukaku credits Martinez and Everton loan spell for his development

Romelu Lukaku says that spending the last year on loan at Everton was the best step in his career thus far and he credits Roberto Martinez for helping him become what he feels is "the complete striker."

The 21 year-old is preparing for the World Cup in Brazil with Belgium, a tournament that could have huge implications for his short-term future, but he feels as though he is at the top of his game after a successful season with the Blues.

"I am absolutely convinced that moving to Everton was the best step in my career," he says. "When you feel everything is working out, it makes you so relaxed and happy as a player in big matches.

“Let me say that I am now the complete striker. I never thought I was a target man, a No.9 who could play with his back to the goal. I always wanted to run at defenders. That is still a great quality, but now I can do both. I love playing as a real striker in the box now.

“I have been playing all season for a team which has more than 60 percent of the time possession of the ball.

“Technically I have been improving as a player. 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.

Lukaku will be doing his best to ignore the constant speculation about his future which has been fuelled by the impending arrival of marquee signing, Diego Costa, from Atletico Madrid, the competition from Demba Ba and Fernando Torres already at Stamford Bridge, and the media talk of an uneasy relationship between Jose Mourinho and the Belgian striker.

Lukaku has restated his belief that Chelsea are the biggest club in England and that in Mourinho they have a great coach and dismissed chatter about a possible move to Atletico — ASin Spain are reporting that the Spanish champions are "close" to agreeing a loan deal for him — in exchange for Costa but a good World Cup would have plenty of suitors clamouring for his signature.

Everton have already registered their interest and, based on the glowing terms in which Lukaku speaks of his time under the Spaniard, Martinez stands a chance if the former Anderlecht man is not 100% set on playing Champions League football next season.

“In my head I feel better than ever. I finished the Premier League season on a high. I scored two goals in my last two matches. After that I went home to my family and spent a whole week clearing my head from a hectic 12 month period.

“I needed to be mentally strong and fresh for the World Cup," Lukaku continues. "As soon as I went onto the pitch in a Belgium shirt I scored a hat-trick for my country.

“I now feel that everything I want to do is happening. It all works. Yes, I have been scoring goals for Belgium by doing a slalom in between defenders. I never used to do that.

“But I have been training on that technical aspect every day at the end of the season with Everton. The last time I had scored a goal like that was in a youth team. But at Everton training has been brilliant and my confidence is higher than ever."

Marc Wilmots' Belgium will take part in one last close-doors friendly with the USA this week before they kick off their campaign in Brazil on 17th June against Algeria and both Kevin Mirallas and Lukaku will hope to be in the line-up. The latter has been forced to rest this week after picking up an ankle strain in the friendly with Tunisia on Saturday but is expected to be fit to face the Algerians.

Quotes sourced from Liverpool Echo

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