Five forwards Chelsea could sign to replace Lukaku
Cameron Smith
- 7 Jun 2022 21:26 BST
- 4 min read
Romelu Lukaku could leave Chelsea after just one year after re-joining the club following a successful spell in Serie A with Inter Milan.
Belgium's all-time record goal-scorer arrived with hopes of a title pinned on him, but ultimately failed to deliver on expectations and finished the season on eight Premier League goals and 15 in all competitions.
Although not the worst tally imaginable, much more was expected of Lukaku when he was signed for club record fee of €115 million.
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In fact, his eight league strikes placed him joint-28th in the entire division, level with the likes of Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher, Leeds' Jack Harrison and West Ham's Said Benrahma, and behind James Ward-Prowse, Emile Smith Rowe and Chelsea team-mate Mason Mount.
With Kai Havertz preferred through the middle in the latter stages of the season, following Lukaku's public interview with Sky Italia in which he expressed his desire to return to Inter, the Belgian's future at Chelsea is relatively unknown.
Expectations haven't been met and the system doesn't appear to suit his talents, so a move away just one year after signing is on the cards. The most likely destination would be to return to Inter, according to multiple reports, although it's not yet known if or when Lukaku will leave Chelsea for a second time.
But, if he does leave Stamford Bridge in the coming months, who could replace him?
Christopher Nkunku
Perhaps the ideal candidate to replace Lukaku should he leave, Christopher Nkunku has undergone a major transformation over the past year or so. Once an excellent creative midfielder, he spent the entirety of the 2021/22 campaign as a central striker in RB Leipzig's system.
Utilising the space in behind Bundesliga defences, Nkunku notched up 35 goal contributions in the division, which rises to 55 when including all competitions.
He has, however, thrived in a similar role to the one Timo Werner excelled in during his time at Leipzig, so adaption to the Premier League may be a concern. But, his past ventures as a midfielder may aid him massively as he wouldn't rely on space in behind as much as Werner.
Darwin Nunez
Just like Nkunku, Darwin Nunez announced himself on the world stage in a big way during the 2021/22 season. The Uruguay forward had previously impressed in the Spanish second tier, but was unproven at the highest level of the sport until this year.
With six Champions League goals this term, Nunez has shown his class amongst the very best in Europe. With 34 goals in all competitions, he would arrive in fine form but question marks still exist surrounding his style of play.
Pacey and powerful, Nunez doesn't have the close control and ability on the ball Tuchel would likely require, and it may not be something that can be coached.
Armando Broja
Slightly cheating here, but Chelsea could simply integrate Armando Broja into the starting XI after his loan spell at Southampton.
Overall, the Albanian enjoyed a promising stint on the south coast, but a disappointing end to the campaign in front of goal marred the entire year. He failed to score in his final 13 Premier League games of the season.
Although the eye test looks good for Broja, he doesn't yet have the clinical edge Chelsea would require, so it's unlikely he'll be thrust into the limelight straight away.
Jonathan David
The Lille man has been linked with a move to Chelsea, with The Telegraph including him in their extensive list of Chelsea targets. Robert Lewandowski is also a player admired by Tuchel, but it seems as though Barcelona is a far more likely destination for him.
David is an alternative to the Polish international and would provide Chelsea with a player capable of dropping deep to link play as well as being a penalty-box poacher.
However, his tally of 15 Ligue 1 goals isn't the most eye-catching statistic ever, especially considering he netted just three of those in 2022.
Ousmane Dembele
Rather than sign an out-and-out replacement for Lukaku, Chelsea could instead opt to bring in Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele on a free transfer and simply move Havertz into the number nine role on a full-time basis.
Dembele would add much needed creativity to a Chelsea side lacking in this department and allow Havertz to fill the void left by Lukaku. A consistent run in this position could well help the German, who is still yet to fully convince since joining from Bayer Leverkusen.
Timo Werner could yet stay and if he can find form alongside Havertz, then Chelsea will still have plenty of options through the middle.
