Chelsea Transfer News: Blues Make Formal Bid for Belgian Phenom Lukaku

Chelsea have been in the market for young, goal-scoring talent since the instant the summer transfer window opened. The Blues have been seeking a potential long-term striker partner (and eventual replacement for) megabucks forward Fernando Torres, and have been linked to everyone from Sergio Aguero to Anderlecht teen phenom Romelu Lukaku.

Now, according to a BBC Sport report, the Blues have finally submitted a formal bid for Lukaku's services, bringing them one step closer to landing the 18-year-old wunderkind.

The Blues have been hot on the Belgian phenom's trail since the start of the transfer period back in June, and reports had previously indicated that they'd been negotiating a deal with Anderlecht for nearly a month.

In June, Anderlecht general manager Herman van Holsbeeck said: "There is still a long way to go in the negotiations.
"We are indeed negotiating with Chelsea, but there are other clubs we are talking to."

While Chelsea's bid doesn't assure them of landing Lukaku (Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City also had shown interest), it does confirm their status as the front-runners to land him. After all, they wouldn't make a formal bid if they weren't sure they'd hit the figure the Belgian side wanted in return for their supremely talented star, believed to be in the range of £18 million.

Should the Blues be successful, Lukaku would make the perfect long-term strike partner for Torres. His size, speed and ball-handling skills have made him one of the top prospects in Europe, and he figures to make the big club sooner rather than later. However, reports indicate that Chelsea plans to loan him out shortly after acquiring him, in an effort to clear what is quickly becoming a minor logjam at forward.

There's the potential for him to be a bust, but given his considerable physical gifts and the way he thrived at Anderlecht, the 18-year-old striker's risk of going bust is minimal. He's a big, rangy striker with a great nose for goal, having scored 39 goals in his last two seasons in Belgium, and should provide an excellent strike partner for Fernando Torres over the long term.

In the end, this is a smart move for the Blues, as Villas-Boas seems committed to finding young talent to keep the club successful in the future. Lukaku is one of the brightest teen phenoms in the sport right now, and as long as he's given a chance, he should thrive at Stamford Bridge in the near future. He may go out on loan for a year to give the Blues a chance to clear some veterans out, but expect to see him starring for Chelsea for the foreseeable future.

Most recent updates:

Flag

Props (1)