After a turbulent transfer window, Romelu Lukaku appears transformed from ugly duckling to splendid swan under the care of former manager Jose Mourinho at Roma.
For the third time together, Lukaku and the Special One have finally rediscovered the harmony that was missing during their previous stints, first at Chelsea, then at Manchester United.
The Portuguese coach – even in the latter stages of his career – always remains a great fascination for the top players, and Mourinho’s word still holds sway. After convincing Paulo Dybala 12 months ago to join the Roman club, this summer he dedicated himself to convincing Lukaku with very long phone calls and detailed messages.
The Belgian striker’s stats this season in Serie A are impressive, and are already outdoing his blistering season at Inter. The feeling is that at 30 years old, Lukaku has finally reached full maturity and full awareness of his physical and technical capabilities.
Five goals in six Serie A games, with an impressive average of 0.8 goals per game, suggest whilst he isn’t comparable to a goalscoring machine like Erling Haaland, he could score 25 goals this season, if he isn’t sidelined by injury.
Romelu Lukaku is enjoying a dreamlike start to his time at Roma under coach Jose Mourinho
Unwanted by Chelsea over the summer, the striker is experiencing a renaissance in Serie A
The Special One used all his powers of persuasion to tempt the 30-year-old to the capital
Ferocious on the ball, Lukaku is capable of affecting Roma’s game in every phase of the match. He is probably the most suitable player to play in the side’s 3-5-2 formation, understanding the rhythms of the game innately.
Only once since the 1994-95 season has a forward had a better debut than their new recruit, with Gabriel Batistuta scoring eight times in his first six starts.
Mourinho’s last chance
In Lukaku, Mourinho found the ideal player around whom he can build his team – and without him, he would have already been fired.
Roma’s start in Serie A was disastrous and Tammy Abraham’s serious injury at the end of last season demanded that the club had to buy a centre forward who was immediately ready for the Italian championship.
Dybala’s injury against Cagliari makes Lukaku’s presence even more important because, save for Andrea Belotti, he is the only centre forward capable of scoring and raising the level of the team’s attack.
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