Romelu Lukaku is a top professional and a top striker, says Thomas Tuchel

Romelu Lukaku signed for Chelsea in the summer for his second spell at the club from Inter for a reported fee of £97.5 million after joining the club a decade ago as one of the best teenage prospects in the world. The Belgian has honed his game and has turned into one of the best strikers in world football and arrived at Chelsea with a point to prove. The Belgian made a scintillating start to life with the English club as he scored a goal on his debut against Arsenal and went on to score two goals against Aston Villa.

Goals had begun to dry up for the Belgian frontman over the subsequent weeks as he was unable to breach opposition defenses and calamity eventually struck the 28-year-old as he suffered an ankle injury against Malmo and has missed their last five games. Chelsea hasn’t suffered under the absence of the Belgian striker as they have steamrolled their competition in domestic and European competitions leading to suggestions that the London club are better off as a unit without his presence. Tuchel was quick to play down those suggestions and reiterated Lukaku’s importance to the squad.

“Maybe, we shine so brightly now because Romelu did the hard work before. He scored some very decisive goals for us already, to bring us in a position where the young players and other players can take over, step in and show their qualities,” Tuchel said in his pre-match press conference. 

“The things he brings when he is in the dressing room, in the building, even when he is injured, he is every day here, positive, determined, he pushes everybody. He is a top professional and a top top striker. He will be super and he is actually, in the moment, very important,” he added.