Enzo Maresca open to sell Chelsea flop who’s now worth 2x less than Mudryk

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Evaluating Chelsea’s High-Profile Transfers: Mudryk and Lukaku

Mykhaylo Mudryk’s Underwhelming Start

After beating Arsenal to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk, Chelsea’s Ukrainian winger has yet to live up to his hefty price tag. Mudryk joined in January 2023 for a staggering £89 million, arriving with high expectations. However, in his debut season, he only started 18 out of 31 Premier League matches, scoring five goals and providing two assists. While there’s hope that the Ukraine international will eventually fulfill his potential, the same optimism doesn’t extend to another expensive signing from years past.

The Cost of Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku’s Transfer to Chelsea

During the 2020/21 season, Romelu Lukaku was one of Europe’s top strikers, recording 24 goals and 10 assists in 32 starts for Inter Milan. The following summer, Chelsea shattered their club transfer record to re-sign him, spending £97.5 million on a five-year deal. Lukaku’s return to Stamford Bridge started promisingly, with three goals in his first three games. However, an interview where he expressed his dissatisfaction with Chelsea and manager Thomas Tuchel quickly turned his return into a nightmare.

Lukaku’s Transfer Value in 2024

Since then, Lukaku has been loaned out, first back to Inter Milan for the 2022/23 season, where he scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 19 starts. Last season, Mauricio Pochettino also found no place for him, sending him on loan to Roma, where he netted 13 goals in 30 starts. This summer, both Enzo Maresca and Todd Boehly agree that Lukaku’s future lies away from Chelsea, with a permanent move being the goal.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Napoli and Udinese are interested in loaning Lukaku, but Chelsea is intent on selling the 31-year-old, with Saudi Arabia being a potential destination. According to CIES Football Observatory, Lukaku’s current market value is around £25 million, over £70 million less than his original transfer fee. This valuation puts him at half of Mudryk’s estimated £50 million value, highlighting his dramatic decline as an asset.

Comparative Value

For context, Lukaku’s current worth is comparable to players like Djordje Petrovic and Trevoh Chalobah and significantly lower than Cole Palmer’s £85 million valuation. Despite being Chelsea’s third-most expensive signing ever, his value has plummeted, contrasting sharply with the rest of the top five, excluding Wesley Fofana, who has struggled with injuries.

Conclusion

Signing Lukaku may be one of Chelsea’s biggest transfer mistakes, and the club is now eager to move on from the striker. They hope his performance at the European Championships will boost his value slightly. Nevertheless, Lukaku, labeled “inconsistent” by some journalists, will likely be remembered as a major disappointment by Chelsea fans.

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