"He just knows how to score" – Rio Ferdinand urges Graham Potter to give Chelsea loanee a chance next season

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has urged Chelsea manager Graham Potter to give Romelu Lukaku another chance next season.

Lukaku, 29, has been a shadow of his former self since re-joining Inter Milan on a loan deal from Chelsea last summer. He has scored just four goals and laid out one assist in 14 appearances this season.

Speaking to Sky Italia, Inter Milan CEO Giuseppe Marotta said that Lukaku has been struggling with his fitness for quite a while:

"I have to say that he has 103 kg to carry around, so he needs to be in perfect physical shape to deliver, and he is not there yet. He's getting there, and the coach, Simone Inzaghi, is the best person to evaluate how he is doing and how he should be used in games."

However, after Marotta's comments, the 104-cap Belgium international netted the winner in the Serie A outfit's 1-0 UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg win over Porto on Wednesday (February 22).

Ferdinand also shared his thoughts on Lukaku, telling BT Sport:

"I played at 86 kilos,nand I'm about 96 now. I spoke to him just when he signed for Chelsea; he'd left Inter Milan and obviously left (Antonio) Conte. One of the main things that you could see was that he was delighted about his physical condition, which was driven by the manager – Conte at the time. If he can get back fit again, this guy has proven that he is a goalscorer, simple as that."

Urging Potter to utilise Lukaku at Chelsea next season, Ferdinand added:

"I think new manager, give him a chance. I think he's got no one in there who he obviously trusts at the moment. (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang isn't even in the European squad. This guy (Lukaku) is just a goal machine; he just knows how to score. Okay, he's not fit; he's carrying a bit more weight than normal – or what the club would like. But he still comes on and scores two goals in the last two games."

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Chelsea keeping tabs on teenager - Reports

According to The Sun, Chelsea are monitoring Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson's development at the Amex. Both Blues head coach Graham Potter and director of global talent and transfers Paul Winstanley are admirers of the promising two-cap Ireland attacker.

Tottenham Hotspur are also keeping tabs on Ferguson, who's viewed as a long-term replacement for Harry Kane by the north London side. Ferguson, 18, has emerged as one of the most promising attackers in the Premier League this season. He has started six of 11 games, registering four goals and three assists.