“Get him out of the football club” – Noel Whelan urges Chelsea to offload player ‘lucky’ to get applause at Stamford Bridge

Noel Whelan has urged Chelsea to sell Romelu Lukaku in the summer. The former Leeds striker believes the Belgian is not good enough to be at Stamford Bridge and the club should cut their losses.

The Blues signed Lukaku last summer for a club-record fee to end their issues in front of goal. However, he hasn't been at his best and has failed to create the desired impact.

While speaking with Football Insider, Whelan was full of praise for Kai Havertz and added that the German is proving that Thomas Tuchel should trust him as the No.9. The former striker added that Lukaku is not needed at the club and said:

"With the way Havertz is playing – it becomes a very easy decision for Chelsea. I think he has proven that he can be the number nine for them. He's been brilliant and has shown real quality."

"We all know that he's a different style of player to Lukaku, but I think there's been too much controversy with Lukaku. The interview was just disrespectful, but if that's what he wants – then get him out of the football club and off the wage bill. They can then go out there, start again, and get someone who can give you the right attitude to fight and succeed in England and in Europe."

"The whispers don't lie. He's very lucky to still get the applause he does at Stamford Bridge because he hasn't shown anywhere near enough in a Chelsea shirt."

Romelu Lukaku apologized to Chelsea for the interview

Romelu Lukaku had to issue an apology to the fans after his ill-timed interview with Sky saw him talking about Inter Milan and how much he wanted to stay at the San Siro.

"To the fans, I'm sorry for the upset that I caused. You guys know the connection that I have with this club since my teenage years, so I totally understand you guys being upset. Obviously, it's up to me now to restore your trust and I'll do my best to show commitment every day on the training ground and in the games to make sure we win games."

Lukaku has gotten better in recent matches and scored two crucial goals at the Club World Cup.