Record signing Romelu Lukaku said he is back at Chelsea as a more “complete” player.
Chelsea have spent £ 97.5million to re-sign the striker, who previously joined Anderlecht aged 18 in 2011, from Inter.
Lukaku enjoyed spells with West Brom, Everton and Manchester United before impressing Inter with 24 Serie A goals last season to win their first title in 11 years.
The 28-year-old spent two seasons in Serie A, scoring 64 goals in all competitions, quickly becoming Antonio Conte’s main man in attack.
“I just feel more complete,” Lukaku said on the club’s official website on Monday when asked to compare the difference between his two arrivals at Stamford Bridge.
“I’ve tried to master all the facets that a striker needs and I just want to keep improving the little details all the time and keep improving my strengths as well.
“It’s not like I’m a new player coming in and not sure what to expect. I know the league, I’ve scored quite a few goals here, but the past is the past and now we must look to the future.
“I’m a new version of that forward player. I’ve evolved and the team I’m joining are a very strong team, so now we just have to prove it on the pitch by challenging for the Premier League.”
While Chelsea were without Lukaku on Saturday, but clinched a 3-0 victory in their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace.
Timo Werner only touched the ball 29 times in 90 minutes – the fewest starters on Chelsea’s pitch – but Thomas Tuchel admitted Lukaku’s arrival was good news for the former RB Leipzig player .
From the appointment of Tuchel until the end of the last term, the Blues have scored only 38 goals in all competitions, a figure hampered by Werner having converted only 7.59% of his 79 high-flying attempts, all by finishing only five of his 23 “big” chances. ..
Lukaku, by comparison, ranks fourth in shooting conversion in Europe’s top five leagues since joining Inter in August 2019, scoring 24.2% of the odds presented to him.
Lukaku could appear with Werner for the trip to Arsenal on Sunday and the Belgium international has expressed his enthusiasm for working with Tuchel.
“The conversation was really clear on her part [Tuchel], that he wants me to be a presence and a leader in the team, ”continued Lukaku. “I just have to use all my abilities to make sure I can help the team as much as possible.
“I’m a leader but I’m also more of a gel person, making sure everyone feels comfortable and confident. It’s my way of leading.
“I like the system that we play and I’m very flexible. I can play two or one and I’m used to the system because that’s what we play with the Belgian national team so I don’t need a lot of time to adapt.
“It’s just about knowing the strengths of my teammates in important positions and knowing what we do off the ball, so I can do the rest.”
