Romelu Lukaku will face his critics in the wake of a £75m move to Manchester United... but the figures show he has exactly what it takes to hit the heights at Old Trafford

  • Romelu Lukaku has always had the desire to play on a bigger stage than Everton
  • His move to Manchester United is set to catapult him to where he wants to be
  • The Belgian has his detractors who will point to a lack of finesse and experience
  • He will ultimately be judged on goals, and his top-flight record is impeccable 
  • READ: Manchester United agree £75m deal with Everton for Romelu Lukaku 

Romelu Lukaku's move from Everton to Manchester United will not be met with the same sense of disappointment around Goodison Park as Wayne Rooney’s departure 13 summers ago.

Lukaku is not one of their own. He is a striker who has made no secret of his desire to play for a bigger club on a bigger stage.

Above all, £75million is a good price for a player still to establish himself as truly world-class.

Romelu Lukaku will leave Everton to join Manchester United for a fee believed to be £75million

Romelu Lukaku will leave Everton to join Manchester United for a fee believed to be £75million

Everton hoped to get a world-record £100m for Lukaku, but that always seemed fanciful. Facilitating, as it does, Rooney’s return to Goodison on a free transfer, this is a good deal.


GOALS IN TOP FLIGHT SINCE 2013... 

Below is the list of top Premier League scorers since Lukaku made his debut for Everton in September 2013:

 1. Sergio Aguero - 86 goals

2. Harry Kane - 78 goals

3. Romelu Lukaku - 68 goals

4. Olivier Giroud - 54 goals

5. Alexis Sanchez - 53 goals  

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From Lukaku’s perspective, it catapults him into the top bracket of players in the game where he has always longed to be.

The 24-year-old has never lacked ambition or self-confidence. He believes he can match up to the best, and now he has his opportunity.

The stats back him up to a degree. Lukaku scored 25 goals in the Premier League last season, second only to Harry Kane, and has averaged 17 league goals over the last five seasons for Everton and West Brom, two clubs outside the top-four.

On his day, he can be practically unplayable; a rampaging striker with a clinical finish. United learned that to their cost when he scored a hat-trick in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last game, a bonkers 5-5 draw at The Hawthorns in May 2013.

He is a proven Premier League goalscorer, and that was always something that gave him an edge over United’s other main target, Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata.

On his day, the Belgian centre forward can be virtually unplayable given his clinical finishing

On his day, the Belgian centre forward can be virtually unplayable given his clinical finishing

But this, remember, is a man who has never played in the Champions League despite his international experience with Belgium. He did not set the world alight at Euro 2016 last summer or at the World Cup three years ago.

And in the coming weeks, Jose Mourinho’s decision to send him out on loan to Everton and eventually sell him while manager of Chelsea will be brought up time and again as the two men are reunited at Old Trafford.

Mourinho certainly felt Lukaku was dispensable then. Ronald Koeman too has talked about a player who is still learning his trade at the age of 24. For £75m, you could be forgiven for wanting the finished article.

His critics will point to a lack of finesse. Others say that he wasn’t a big-game player for Everton. Indeed, it was at Old Trafford last season that Lukaku fell out with team-mate Ashley Williams who felt the striker wasn’t giving enough.

Lukaku's critics will point to the fact that he lacks finesse, but stats favour the 24-year-old

Lukaku's critics will point to the fact that he lacks finesse, but stats favour the 24-year-old

Top-flight conversion rate since 2015
Player  Goals Shot Conv rate (%)
Jamie Vardy (Lei)37 22.0 
Harry Kane (Tot)54 20.2 
Olivier Giroud (Ars)28 20.0 
Romelu Lukaku (Eve)43 18.9 
Joshua King (Bou)22  18.3

Others will argue that we won’t find out what we need to know about Lukaku until he plays at the highest level with the best players on the biggest stage.

Comparisons will no doubt be drawn with Paul Pogba, another client of agent Mino Raiola. Another big price tag will be sitting on young shoulders. 

At times, Pogba struggled to live up to the expectations in his first season at United, and Lukaku will face an equally tough challenge.

He will be judged on goals as he steps into the sizeable shoes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic who was on 28 for the season in all competitions when injury robbed him of a second year at United and precipitated the need for a new No 9 this summer.

Ibrahimovic and Rooney are prime examples of players who have prospered at United down the years. Plenty have not, however. Lukaku clearly has the confidence to make the step up and be a £75m man. The question is, does he have the ability to be considered world class? To take himself and United to the next level?

Only time will tell. For now, it looks like United have their man and Romelu Lukaku has the opportunity he always wanted. 

Manchester United were one of the first clubs to learn of Lukaku's lethal ability in front of goal

Manchester United were one of the first clubs to learn of Lukaku's lethal ability in front of goal

HOW SPORTSMAIL LED THE STORY 

Matt Lawton's exclusive story on Lukaku's move from the July 6 edition of The Daily Mail

Matt Lawton's exclusive story on Lukaku's move from the July 6 edition of The Daily Mail

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