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Does Lukaku Have A Future At Chelsea? Or The New Drog-Ba Will Take Over ?

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Demba Ba

After quite a bit of speculation, Ba has finally arrived at Chelsea as confirmed by the club’s official website.

‘It feels good to be here, I’m very happy and very proud,’ Ba says.

‘It was important for me, and for Newcastle, to get my future sorted and now we can move on. Now they have the whole month to buy someone and for me as well, the sooner the better. Now I am here I just need to get settled in.

‘When the club who won the Champions League wants you, the decision is very easy. This club is massive and that’s something that helped the decision a lot. It was not a hard one.’ said the Senegal international who will be available for selection ahead of Chelsea’s Fa cup meeting against the Saints. 

However it leads to two big question, Does Lukaku have a future at Chelsea? The pursuit for Falcao is over ? 

There is nothing new about the Falcao saga but with Chelsea signing Ba and Torres not likely to move anytime soon, the future of Romelu Lukaku at Chelsea has hit a new low. Signed from Belgium club Anderlecht last summer Lukaku, 19, widely regarded as the ‘new Drogba’. However he was loaned out to West Brom at the start of this season and the forward is currently tearing defenses around the country with his brute strength (he’s 6ft 4 and about 250 lbs of pure muscle) and powerful style of play, much like Drogba himself.

With Chelsea now having two fairly big name strikers in their team, especially Torres who Roman Abramovich seems to demand the manager plays, it will be a miracle to see Lukaku having any short-term future at Stamford Bridge.

The boy obviously has potential, and could be one of the world’s top strikers in a few years if he develops as we expect him to, but he seems impatient and would not want to sit on the bench, despite being a Chelsea fan. If Chelsea can convince him to go on-loan for a couple more seasons, by which time Ba and Torres will be in their late 20s/early 30s, perhaps then it will be his time given that Roman keeps his cheque book in his pockets.

If this continues then we can expect Lukaku to move on for better clubs, as he will get sick of playing for mediocre teams not challenging for trophies. I hope not though, as the boy is something special.

Ba Vs Lukaku
Ba Vs Lukaku

The Title ‘New Drogba’ will also suit Demba Ba as he is another player who is physical and possess a good ariel threat and a Premier league proven material. Now from the above picture (stats from 2012/2013) Lukaku is narrowly ahead of Ba in terms of Chance conversion rate, mins per goal and mins per shot in target. But Ba has converted 54% of his clear cut chances and Lukaku has missed 8 clear cut chances. With the midfield that Chelsea have it is expected that the strikers will have more clear cut chances than other teams. Though these stats may not tell the entire story as Lukaku has been in and out of the team with injuries, what is to be concluded is that Ba’s arrival will definitely boost Chelsea’s attacking threat. If Ba and Torres prove to be good, then with Lukaku at their disposal, he will offer a different dimension in the final third. However 2013-14 is the season that Lukaku might get a chance.  

Stats courtesy: Epl Index, opta Stats