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Romelu Lukaku re-signed for Chelsea in August 2021 for a reported £97.5 million.
Lukaku became the club's record signing and came with huge expectations after a brilliant season in Serie A. In the five months since, it's fair to say that the transfer's rewards have been underwhelming.
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Lukaku is yet to find his form in the Premier League under Thomas Tuchel. He enjoyed a great start, scoring almost immediately after featuring. Since then, his time has been plagued with injuries and bad runs of form.
Lukaku has featured in 16 league games so far for Chelsea and has only five Premier League goals to his name. Considering he came for such a mammoth fee, there is a sense of expectation around Stamford Bridge that the Belgian should be doing more. He has further alienated fans with a contentious interview in which he suggested he is not happy at the club and looked forward to moving back to Inter Milan at some point.
Let's take a look at five players Chelsea could have signed instead of Romelu Lukaku.
#5. Jonathan David - Lille
Jonathan David is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe right now.
The Canadian plays for Lille in Ligue 1 and enjoyed a fantastic breakout season last year. Having initially started out with Gent in Belgium, David signed for Lille in August 2020.
David cost Lille a reported €30 million and became the most expensive Canadian footballer of all time. His move has reaped multiple rewards, as David has flourished ever since he moved to France.
David scored 13 league goals last season and has already almost bettered his record this season. The 22-year-old has 12 league goals so far this season from 22 games.
Several clubs have the youngster on their watchlist, with a big move seemingly imminent.
#4. Julian Alvarez - River Plate
Julian Alvarez has become the next big South American sensation in world football.
Alvarez plies his trade with River Plate in Argentina and has shown some serious promise over the last couple of years. Still only 21, the youngster is one of the most promising talents in the world.
Alvarez made headlines last year as he scored a mammoth 18 goals and provided six assists during just 21 league appearances. The Argentinian has been on the radar of several top clubs, with a move to Chelsea rivals Manchester City almost set in stone.
If the move does go through, there is no doubt the Premier League will have gained a brilliant striker.
#3. Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur
Harry Kane is one of the best players in the Premier League.
The English captain has been with Tottenham since 2009 and has developed into arguably the club's most important player. Kane is a household name in English football and has put in excellent performances consistently over the past few years.
Kane is undoubtedly Spurs' attacking talisman. Kane boasts a stunning goalscoring record for club and country and has won several individual trophies during his career.
He has won the Premier League Golden Boot on three different occasions and also won the prestigious Golden Boot at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Despite winning a plethora of individual trophies, Kane is yet to win any major club trophies.
Manchester City came closest to signing Kane last summer, but both their bids were ultimately rejected by the club's chairman, Daniel Levy. A move to a bigger club would certainly do Kane a world of good.
#2. Erling Haaland - Dortmund
Erling Haaland is arguably the most in-demand commodity in world football.
The Norwegian is one of the best strikers in the world and has been extremely consistent over the past couple of years. Having made his name with RB Salzburg, Haaland went on to sign for Dortmund in 2020 for just €20 million.
Considered one of the biggest bargains in football history, it's fair to say Haaland has already repaid his club's investment. The 21-year-old's goalscoring record is nothing short of phenomenal, even boasting a scary average of more than one goal per game.
Haaland has been the subject of multiple bids from several clubs in the past, but all of them have failed to go through. With several heavyweights like Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United showing great interest, there is an increasing feeling that Haaland will leave Dortmund this summer.
#1. Dusan Vlahovic - Fiorentina
Dusan Vlahovic is undoubtedly the best striker in Serie A right now.
The Serbian footballer has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame over the past couple of seasons. Vlahovic burst onto the scene during the 2020-21 season, scoring 21 goals in 37 league appearances.
The 21-year-old shows skill and maturity beyond his years and is also armed with incredible pace and immaculate finishing. Vlahovic even equalled Serie A's record for most goals in a calendar year, one that he shares with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Vlahovic has seemingly started the season with a burning desire to outperform himself. He has already scored 17 goals in just 21 games and looks set to break his own record, if he stays until the end of the season.
Several clubs including Arsenal, Tottenham and Juventus have shown interest, with Vlahovic seemingly leaning towards a move to Turin. Irrespective of how the transfer window unravels, Vlahovic certainly looks like one to watch for in the future.
