Posts Tagged ‘Carling Cup’

Another Defeat Another CFC v Liverpool Video

I seem to be posting alot of these commiseration videos at the moment, here is one from the Carling Cup Final 2005

Chelsea FC face fight for talents like Romelu Lukaku

by Richard French

follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rfrench1988

With all the talk of Carlo Ancelotti fielding a young side to face Newcastle in the Carling Cup tonight, it is impossible not to speculate on the future of Chelsea Football Club and which of these promising talents will or will not make the grade.

The future isn’t just on show at Stamford Bridge tonight, he will be lining up for Anderlecht in Lierse come kick off time. Romelu Lukaku. Remember the name.

At 17 he has scored 24 times in 53 games for his club, has four caps for Belgium and is 6 foot 3 inches tall. All of these surely signs that he could be the long term replacement for Didier Drogba.

Scoring goals is something of a habit and it seems that this boy is as habitual as it gets, with 68 goals in 68 youth games for FC Brussels and a staggering 121 goals in 88 youth matches for his current employers. This kid is something else.

The Belgian domestic league may not be the strongest in Europe but his goals to games ratio is remarkable no matter what level of the game, even Sunday League down the park.

Perhaps sensing that his days in western Brussels were numbered, Anderlecht got the wonderkid to sign a new five year contract in May this year, theoretically ‘keeping him’ at the club until 2015. This is nothing more than Lukaku ensuring that his club get a fair transfer fee for his services, as for him to leave on a free at the end of his contract would be a disaster for the Belgian champions who can feel a big pay day round the corner.

Hence it is likely that a bid somewhere in the region of €18 million would be needed to get him across the channel and signed up ready to learn from the experienced strikers already at the club.

Traditionally, however, Belgian players have moved to France or Germany initially, only then to head to Italy to ply their trade. This could be the path for Lukaku, with clubs like big spending Marseille and Schalke keeping tabs on his movements.

Valencia and Real Madrid have also reportedly had scouts watch this young goal machine, so Chelsea must act quickly if they are to land the most promising young player in Europe at the moment.

With money thrown away on transfers such as Mateja Kezman and the injury ravaged Juan Sebastian Veron in recent years, this fee is a risk worth taking as Ancelotti looks to build for the future at the club.

With promising young starlets like Gael Kakuta, Jeffrey Bruma and Daniel Sturridge coming through, adding Lukaku to the list can only be healthy as Chelsea aim for long term, sustained global domination.