Everton’s Romelu Lukaku Proving His Worth
Personal information
Full name: Romelu Menama Lukaku
Date of birth: 13 May 1993
Age: 22
Place of birth: Antwerp, Belgium
Height: 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position: Striker
Club information
Current team: Everton
Number: 10
Youth career
1999–2003: Rupel Boom
2003–2004: KFC Wintam
2004–2006: Lierse
2006–2009: Anderlecht
Senior career
2009–2011: Anderlecht 98 Appearances, 41 goals
2011–2014: Chelsea 15 Appearances, 0 goals
2012–2013→ West Bromwich Albion (loan) 38 Appearances, 17 goals
2013–2014→ Everton (loan) 33 Appearances, 16 goals
2014– Everton 102 Appearances, 51 goals
National team
2008: Belgium U15 4 Appearances, 1 goal
2011: Belgium U18 1 Appearance, 0 goals
2009: Belgium U21 5 Appearances, 1 goal
2010– Belgium 42 Appearances, 11 goals
Belgian star Romelu Lukaku became the 12th player in Everton’s history to score 50 goals in his first 100 games for the club with Monday’s late equaliser against Crystal Palace. The tap-in, his 14th goal in all competitions this season, took the 22-year-old into an exclusive Everton club that includes such luminaries as Dixie Dean (50 in 62 games), Tommy Lawton (50 in 68), Roy Vernon (50 in 84), Joe Royle (50 in 88) and Dave Hickson (50 in 94).
Romelu Lukaku became Everton’s Club record signing in July 2014, signing for £28 million, penning a five-year deal. The highly rated Belgian is just 22 years old and is probably one of the most dangerous young strikers around. The striker made the permanent switch from Chelsea after enjoying a hugely successful loan spell at Goodison Park the previous season, when he plundered 16 goals in all competitions. His transfer was sealed after he had helped Belgium reach the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Lukaku had previously had another hugely productive temporary spell at West Bromwich Albion in 2012/13, during which he netted 17 times for the Baggies.
Earlier in his young career, the powerful frontman had shot to prominence when he made his Anderlecht debut as a 16-year-old and became a regular for the next two seasons. In his first full season, at only 16-years-old, he scored 15 league goals in 33 appearances, many of which made from the bench. Just over a year and 18 league goals later, ex-Blues manager Andre Villas-Boas came calling. A whopping fee of £10 million, later rising to £17 million, was slapped on the youngster. He was a bit-part player for his first season, playing mainly in the League Cup and for the reserves. The following campaign he agreed a loan switch to the Hawthorns and was immediately among the goals. Lukaku would score in a win at Anfield and bag a hat-trick against Manchester United before returning to Stamford Bridge. At the start of the 2013/14 season, Lukaku made three substitute appearances for Jose Mourinho’s side, including one in the UEFA Super Cup, before switching to Merseyside.
Lukaku’s Everton career started with a bang and he scored a winning goal at West Ham United on his debut, before grabbing a brace at home to Newcastle United. He continued to find the net regularly as the season progressed, netting another double in the home Merseyside derby and a wonderstrike in the 3-0 thrashing of Arsenal. He signed off from his loan spell with the Blues by scoring in the final Premier League fixture of the season – a 2-0 win away at Hull City. Lukaku then headed to the World Cup, where he was on-target in the Red Devils’ last-16 victory against the United States. And upon returning to Europe, his move to Goodison Park was rubber-stamped as he once again linked up with manager Roberto Martinez. Lukaku picked up from where he left off by scoring 20 goals in 47 games for Everton in the 2014/15 campaign, finishing as the joint-top goalscorer in the UEFA Europa League with eight European strikes.
Although predominantly left footed, Lukaku’s ability to score with either foot make him an extremely dangerous opponent. Lukaku is undoubtedly one of the greatest striking talents to emerge from Belgium. He is a direct goal threat from anywhere within 25 yards of goal. A natural poacher and penalty box finisher, Lukaku possesses power and strength and is equally dangerous from outside the penalty area. Even at just 22 years of age, Lukaku has an unbreakable confidence, which has enabled him to bounce back from disappointments in his career. He has not let his failure to break into the Chelsea team affect him and if anything, his absence from Stamford Bridge has seen his reputation increase.
Everton’s play is improving week by week and as this happens we can expect Lukaku to add to his goal tally and get closer to hitting 20 league goals. Lukaku is so young and under Roberto Martinez he is improving the technical side of his game and getting used to a more technical style. For Everton, whichever way you look at it, he was a good signing – and is proving to be well worth £28 million.