Romelu Lukaku will be the complete hitman for Manchester United after learning from his Chelsea failure, says his former Belgium boss
Georges Leekens believes the £75million Everton striker will make a huge difference for Old Trafford chief Jose Mourinho
ROMELU LUKAKU has learnt from his failure at Chelsea and Manchester United are now getting the complete hitman.
Lukaku, 24, is expected to join the Red Devils for £75million.
That fee is getting on for three times the £28m Chelsea sold him to Everton for in 2014.
But former Belgium boss Georges Leekens, who gave Lukaku his international debut at the age of 18, believes the powerhouse striker is a totally different player now.
Leekens declared: “Manchester United are now getting the complete package with Romelu. It’s a special move for him.
“When he went to Chelsea he was 18 years old and at that moment had been playing and scoring regularly for Anderlecht.
“But he wanted everything to happen too quickly at Chelsea. He got frustrated because things weren’t happening as easily for him there as they had in Belgium.
“He would see playing for his country as a release during that time. He wouldn’t be getting a game at Chelsea but he still had the same enthusiasm for football and for scoring goals.
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“He was great to have around. We would take him on the bus with us when he was injured and couldn’t play because his enthusiasm was infectious.”
Ironically, United boss Jose Mourinho was Chelsea chief when Lukaku was packed off to Everton on loan in 2013 and then sold to the Merseysiders a year later.
There was bad blood between the pair. But Lukaku’s tally of 87 goals in four seasons has persuaded Mourinho that he is the real deal.
Leekens added: “He has done everything that Mourinho asked him to do when he left Chelsea.
“He has become a decisive player for both his club and country.
“He has learnt so much at Everton and, now he’s four or five years older, he has a lot of confidence and is ready to play at the very highest level.
“He’s a much better player and a lot of that is down to him.
“He has always been hungry, always been ambitious and has always worked incredibly hard. Now it’s paying off.
“He’s now not just scoring goals, he’s creating them, too.
“There were times when he was young that he wanted to do everything.
“I remember in training he would also be demanding the ball and always trying to score goals regardless of where he received it. He was obsessed with scoring goals.
“Now he has matured as a footballer.”
Lukaku scored the first of his 20 international goals under Leekens, netting twice in a 2-0 friendly win against Russia back in November 2010.
He has since played in the 2014 World Cup and last summer’s European Championships.
Leekens added: “Playing on the biggest stage with Belgium and having coaches that believed in him at Everton has made a massive difference.
“Yes, it has cost big money to take him back but Mourinho wouldn’t have brought him if he didn’t believe in him.”
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