Romelu Lukaku 'Wants to Prove' He Can Be a Chelsea Success, Says Didier Drogba

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has suggested Everton striker Romelu Lukaku "wants to prove" himself at Stamford Bridge and could return to his former club this summer in a bid to clear up unfinished business.

Lukaku left the Blues for Goodison Park on a permanent deal in 2014, and Drogba told Sky Sports' Gary Cotterill his "little brother" would be "great for the club" if he were to return after a three-year absence:

"

If he comes to Chelsea it will be great for the club. He knows the house already and I think he wants to prove he can be successful here, he didn't get the chance to do it. Chelsea is his club since he was young, so why not?

He wants to be the best. He's really working hard to become the best. I am always challenging him. When he scores one goal, I expect him to score two. We have a very good relationship.

"

Lukaku is the top scorer in this season's Premier League after netting 23 times in 31 appearances for the Toffees, and when Cotterill asked Drogba whether he knew what the Belgian is doing this summer, he responded: "I know."

While Drogba clearly has faith in the Belgium international, Lukaku wasn't a prominent player during Everton's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at the start of April. Sky Sports Statto noted that wasn't the only big fixture in which he's gone missing this season:

On the other hand, Match of the Day suggested Everton's talismanic attacker does more against England's powerhouses than some of his Premier League peers:

Sky Italia (h/t The Sun's Geoff Sweet) recently reported Lukaku's return to west London was "almost a done deal," although one gets the feeling Diego Costa's summer plans will decide whether the Blues invest in the 23-year-old.

Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian came calling for Costa during the winter, as reported by the Telegraph's Matt Law, and it's been suggested that move may still be completed this summer.

The Spain international appeared on Spanish radio show El Larguero in March, and Law provided quotes from that interview, during which Costa was asked whether he could still make the move to China: "Anything can happen. Why not? You never know. Now I'm happy at Chelsea, but if tomorrow the Chinese come and Chelsea tell me I have to go, I will no longer want to stay with them."

Lukaku failed to score in 15 senior appearances for Chelsea between 2011 and 2014, instead rising to prominence in England during loan spells at West Bromwich Albion and Everton before the latter signed him permanently.

The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe revealed in March that Lukaku had rejected a new £140,000-per-week deal at Goodison, noting the striker "wants to keep his options open" ahead of the summer.

The Toffees' finish to the 2016-17 season could dictate whether the Belgian stays at the club, but one thing for certain is Drogba has complete faith in his former team-mate to become a hit if he returns to Stamford Bridge.

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