Juventus fans have taken it upon themselves to voice their displeasure at the Turin club’s links to Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku. With his future at Chelsea appearing bleak at best and Inter Milan seemingly out of the race, he has been strongly linked with a move to the Italian giants this summer.
But the Juventus faithful are less than thrilled, especially because Lukaku’s arrival would mean that talented striker Dusan Vlahovic would most likely be sold. Vlahovic, who arrived in Turin from Fiorentina 2 seasons ago, has shown glimpses of brilliance despite Juventus’s less-than-stellar performances and turgid tactical shape.
Many fans believe Lukaku would be a significant downgrade, as he is not only much older than the Serbian striker but has also been heavily inconsistent in the last two seasons. In the video of the event, fans stood behind a barricade and shouted, “We don’t want Lukaku!” in unison. Watch the video here:
Doubts over whether Lukaku is the right man for Juventus rebuild
The Belgian international was in great form during the 20/21 season and helped Inter Milan win their first Scudetto in more than a decade. His incredible season drew attention from Chelsea, who signed him for a then-club record GBP 100 million fee. But the striker failed to impress at Chelsea, scoring eight goals in twenty-six appearances for the Blues.
After a dramatic interview where he outlined his unhappiness at Chelsea and how much he missed Inter Milan, the former Everton, and Manchester United striker was sent back on loan to the Nerazzurri the following season. Despite a reunion with Inter, Lukaku was unable to replicate his 20/21 Serie A form and often found himself sidelined by Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez.
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In the last season, Lukaku managed ten goals in twenty-five appearances for Inter. The most difficult moment of the season came after the 2023 Champions League final, which Inter lost to Manchester City. The forward was heavily criticized for missing good chances and blocking a header from his teammate in the dying moments of the match.
To many, including Juventus fans, it appears that the 30-year-old is now past his best. It is especially concerning for fans of the Old Lady because the club is in a period of rebuilding. Being banned from the conference league and reeling from a financial fraud scandal that saw ten points docked last season, Juventus need to clear out their squad and rebuild to get back into Europe’s elite cup competition. Lukaku would demand high wages as well as a substantial transfer fee, and many don’t think the returns will be worth the investment.