When Manchester United bought Romelu Lukaku from Everton for £75 million at the beginning of this month, the deal had plenty of cynics. Many of the doubters focused on the fact that United’s current Manager, Jose Mourinho, coached Lukaku previously at Chelsea, and did not have a problem selling him away.
Others took this to mean Mourinho really didn’t know how to utilize Lukaku effectively back then, and questioned how the partnership could work this time. Last night, Lukaku was handed his first start at United, and scored his first goal as a Red Devil in the 2-1 win at Real Salt Lake in an international friendly.
You can view video of the match winning scoring strike at this link. It was just a goal in a meaningless exhibition, but it was still the number one story in global football last night. In the post match news conference, Mourinho focused less on the goal and more on the 24-year-old Belgian’s all-round development.
“I think it’s just nice for him, not important for me,” Mourinho said. “Before he scored the goal I told him I love everything you do on the pitch, don’t be worried about scoring or not scoring.”
“He gets behind people, works and presses well. I like everything he does. It’s easy to feel it because he was my player four years ago and his evolution has been great. He’s now a top striker. The goal is just a detail, not important.”
Lukaku’s agent negotiated a deal that cost Old Trafford £75 million, and with add-ons it could one day potentially top £90 million, which would make him the most expensive player ever. Who would Lukaku surpass for that honor? His BFF, and fellow Raiola client, Paul Pogba.
With that big money, obviously comes BIG TIME expectations. Just ask Pogba himself.
Here’s the link to the second half news, notes and takeaways from this match.
Here’s the link to the first half news, notes and takeaways from this match.
Romelu Lukaku and United next to head to Houston, for the first ever Manchester Derby ever held outside of Europe on Thursday. They’ll face Manchester City in an exhibition that will see both sides honor victims of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack. Go here for more on those shirts and the bigger cause that they’ll serve.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV.
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