CHELSEA: COLE LAUDS LUKAKU RETURN

Retired England international left-back Ashley Cole has praised the return of RomeluLukaku to Stamford Bridge after the deal was announced earlier this month.

Ashley Cole believes that Belgian international Lukaku is the final piece to manager Thomas Tuchel's puzzle at Chelsea. The former Arsenal and Chelsea defender was speaking at Three's store launch on King’s Road. According to him, Lukaku has improved his all-round game since his exit from the Premier League two years ago.

Lukaku was a Chelsea player until 2013 when he was shipped to Everton by the club in a £28m deal. He was an Everton player until Manchester United paid around £75m to sign him in 2017. He didn't work out as expected at Old Trafford. Lukaku was a Manchester United player for two seasons only before a club-record deal to Inter Milan was sanctioned in 2019.

Lukaku improved a great deal under Italian tactician Antonio Conte who was the mastermind behind his move to the Italian Serie A. He scored 24 goals last season in the league as he helped Inter Milan win it for the first time in over ten years.

Ashley Cole believes that Lukaku will add his qualities to the Chelsea attack especially in his all-round game which has improved. He said Chelsea lacked someone who has that specific quality and that Lukaku will provide them with that.

Chelsea paid around £98m to secure the transfer of Lukaku from Inter Milan this summer.

Ashley Cole believes that Lukaku's leadership qualities would be very important at Chelsea as there a lot of quality players coming through at the club. He said that Lukaku has been able to prove his doubters wrong with his footballing abilities over the last two years in the colours of Inter Milan.

Lukaku is on course to make his debut in the London Derby clash at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal in a Premier League encounter on Sunday.