MY ACCOUNT
Romelu Lukaku scored his first Serie A goal at the San Siro in 635 days as Inter Milan triumphed over Udinese on Saturday.
The Belgian forward has been far from his best since he returned to Nerazzurri on loan from Chelsea last summer but has looked noticeably sharper in recent weeks.
His goal in the 3-1 victory may have come from the penalty spot but it could provide the boost in confidence needed to propel the powerhouse back into form as Inter look to chase down runaway leaders Napoli.
Ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with Porto, we turn the spotlight on West London’s forgotten man.
Comeback trail
Lukaku has dealt with a number of issues since his arrival back in Milan, but injuries have been his biggest hindrance in 2022-23.
In the current campaign, the 29-year-old has missed 92 days and 18 matches in all competitions thanks to a combination of hamstring, arm and knee issues.
And although he has struggled with niggles in the past, the 104-cap international has not been absent for as long as this before in his career — and it has had a profound impact on his form.
Saturday was only his second Serie A goal of the season, with his first coming on the opening weekend back in August.
Inter boss Simone Inzaghi said a few weeks ago that he is expecting a fully fit Lukaku back for their Champions League tie with Porto and it looks as though he may get his wish.
The ex-Premier League star has featured in seven of Inter’s last eight league matches and is starting to show signs of a return to his best.
Fighting for his place
Inter’s squad is full to the brim of incredible talent and Lukaku’s return does not guarantee him a spot in the starting XI.
Inzaghi has preferred to set up in a 3-5-2 for most of the season and, although the seasoned finisher is a big miss when unavailable, there were options waiting in the wings to replace him.
Both Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez have done a stellar job in Lukaku’s absence, netting 20 times between them in Serie A, while the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Hakan Calhanoglu have also been popping up with goals.
During his best season, Chelsea’s £97.5million man grabbed 24 goals and 10 assists in the Italian first division, yet scored only eight times in the Premier League during the 2021-22 campaign.
He would do well to displace either Dzeko or Martinez permanently in the coming weeks, though his best form would give him a fighting chance.
Lukaku’s ability to score in a variety of ways gives him the edge over his 36-year-old team-mate Dzeko, who is giving Olivier Giroud a run for his money as the best Serie A player over 35 this year.
Desperate to stay
Lukaku left Stamford Bridge with a sour taste in his mouth, publicly stating his desire to return to Supercoppa Italiana winners Inter last summer.
The San Siro is where he has enjoyed the best spell of his career and despite being a valued member of the Premier League 100 club, his style of play is more suited to Italian football.
However, his situation remains one of the most complicated in Europe’s top five leagues.
As Chelsea paid such a handsome fee to bring Lukaku back to his former club only 18 months ago, they will unquestionably want to recoup some of that fortune — especially after their own excessive spending in January.
With a contract at Stamford Bridge that runs until 2026, Lukaku needs to resolve his future quickly ahead to avoid a potential recall.
Fully fit and firing
Inzaghi praised the former Manchester United forward for his recent displays in Italy’s top flight, even going so far as to suggest that he could be the key to catching the runaway league leaders.
After the win this weekend, the boss said: “Lukaku is improving day by day, game by game, training session by training session. We have great faith in Rom.
“We need everyone and those who started or came off the bench today worked really hard. They all deserve to play for the work they put in, but a coach has to make choices.
“He had a few problems last season in London, we brought him back here and then he had this serious injury that troubled him for four months.
“If he is starting games, that means he is in good shape and playing will help him strengthen that form.”
If Lukaku is to stay in Italy beyond the summer, he still has much to do in order to convince the Inter board to fork out for his services on a permanent basis.
