Scouting Manchester United Transfer Target Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku has joined the long, long list of players linked with Manchester United, but what would Everton's star striker bring in the January transfer window?

On 15 December, the Telegraph covered reports in Italy suggesting United "want an experienced Premier League striker to assist Anthony Martial leading the attack and Lukaku fits that bill."

Of course, as the last few years have taught us, being linked to United and signed by United are vastly different things. Following the club's Champions League exit in early December, the Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst covered reports that United will continue to pursue Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Gareth Bale. 

There have also been recent links with Riyad Mahrez, though the player told French radio station RMC he had no desire to leave Leicester City in January (h/t talkSPORT). 

It is hard to imagine Everton letting Lukaku leave in January given how vital he has been to them so far this season. He has scored eight goals in his past seven games for the Toffees, scoring in the past six Premier League games in succession.

He had already scored seven goals for the season before his recent excellent run, also contributing four assists to the Toffees' cause. He is second in the Premier League scoring charts behind only Jamie Vardy, who is—as everyone who follows Premier League football knows—in the form of his life.

While Lukaku's immediate recent form could be described as a purple patch, he has been a consistent scorer since he became a Premier League regular on loan at West Bromwich Albion in 2012. His goal against Crystal Palace on 7 December brought about the most aesthetically satisfying statistic of the season—it was Lukaku's 50th Everton goal on the occasion of his 100th Everton appearance, per Carl Markham of the Press Association (h/t the Daily Mail).

He had previously hit an important milestone by becoming only the fifth player in Premier League history to score 50 goals in the division before the age of 23, per the Mirror. He shares superb company given the other four are Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo—four of the great goalscorers of the Premier League era. 

Lukaku would be an excellent fit for United, of course, given his Premier League record and his clear technical prowess. His clinical ability in front of goal would mean he would be able to function as a No. 9 in Louis van Gaal's system.

The following statistics are all averages per 90 minutes in league games this season:

• He is averaging one shot from outside of the area, leading to an average of 0.1 goals from that position.
• However, inside the box, the numbers are unsurprisingly more impressive. He is scoring at a rate of 0.4 goals per 90 minutes from between the 18- and six-yard areas from an average of two shots.
• He is scoring 0.3 goals from inside the six-yard area from an average of just 0.5 shots per 90 minutes.
• As a point of comparison, Martial is getting fewer chances—just 1.2 shots in the penalty area and 0.1 in the six-yard box per 90 minutes and has scored none from the six-yard box and an average of 0.3 from inside the box.

That means that excluding the six-yard area, Martial is scoring a slightly higher percentage of the shots he takes in the box than Lukaku—25 per cent to 20 per cent. However, Lukaku's percentage inside the six-yard box is impressive, and 20 per cent is a very decent return.

Jon Super/Associated Press/Associated Press

There is also the possibility his presence would lead to more chances being created. After all, while the onus of creativity is placed on those players providing passes to strikers, the movement of the strikers can help.

Martial's most impressive asset this season has been his spectacular close control. He has carved out chances for himself by being able to beat a man with the ball at his feet rather than by running in behind in the manner of a more traditional centre-forward.

That has been helpful when United have been up against deep-lying defences—which has been most games—but it has meant defenders have dealt with the ball being in front of them rather than in behind them.

Francois Walschaerts/Associated Press/Associated Press

Given how much of United's play is focused on keeping possession and trying to work openings, having a player keen to play off the shoulder of the last defender and break in behind could really help the Red Devils unsettle defences. Defences are surely at their most comfortable with the play happening in front of them.

At 6'3", Lukaku has plenty of physical presence. He is also very quick, which would fit nicely with United's needs. He also does a neat line in killer passes. His four assists this season have come from an average of 1.3 key passes per 90 minutes of league football.

One of the assists was a cross, another was a through ball and the other two were passes in open play. Given he has been successful for Roberto Martinez, it is clear he has all the assets required to play possession football.

Jon Super/Associated Press/Associated Press

He is a complete goalscorer. He favours his left foot, but three of the goals he has scored this season have been right-footed. Crucially, four have been headers. A lack of goals from headers is a big issue at United.

Only Ander Herrera and Bastian Schweinsteiger have scored for United with their heads in the league this season—Martial and Wayne Rooney also did so in the Champions League group stage.

Lukaku has thus single-handedly (or rather, single-headedly) scored as many headers in the league as the entire United squad have done in the league and Champions League—excluding the preliminary round.

When Lukaku reached the 50 league-goal milestone, Martinez said, per Phil Medlicott of the Press Association (h/t Daily Mail): 

"

It is an impressive group of elite footballers—and I feel Rom fits into that group extremely well. We keep getting a reminder of what a special talent we have.

He has incredible potential. And I would say the maturity he is showing this season is even more impressive than the record.

"

That is high praise indeed for the former Chelsea man. Lukaku's age, 22, means he would fit in perfectly with United's recent pattern of signing young talent who can grow together as a squad. He would have an edge on some of those signings, though, given how established he is in spite of his age.

Rui Vieira/Associated Press/Associated Press

As well as his ability to fit into Van Gaal's system, he has the quality and potential to be a focal point of the United attack well beyond the Dutchman's tenure.

He has cut his teeth in the Premier League, and letting him go to Everton permanently in the summer of 2014 looks like a big mistake on Chelsea's part. Given his ability and United's need for goals, he would be an excellent signing for the Red Devils.

Back in February 2015, Lukaku reportedly said, relayed by Chris Beesley of the Liverpool Echo: 

"

It was brilliant to play at Chelsea and I had a good reception. They know I’m a good player but that I want to develop so I can eventually get back to playing for a club like Chelsea.

I don’t have a secret ambition to rejoin—there are other clubs in the world. I just want to grow as a player and eventually arrive at a top club again.

"

United should now do their best to make that dream a reality and bring Lukaku to Old Trafford.

All advanced statistics per WhoScored.com.