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Romelu Lukaku failed to conjure up anything of note in Chelsea's 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday. The Belgian international has now gone four successive matches without a goal.
It is evidently not the right way to endear yourself to your club's fans, especially after you've completely undermined them in an interview not long ago.
Romelu Lukaku has not been able to live up to the hype at Chelsea
Chelsea are now third in the Premier League table with 44 points in 23 matches. League leaders Manchester City have a 12 point lead over them and also have a game in hand. Suffice to say, Chelsea's title challenge could draw to a close quite soon.
Even worse, if Romelu Lukaku and co. don't improve, they might find themselves fighting for a top four spot.
The 28-year-old's return to Chelsea has not gone to plan at all. His interview with Sky Sports, where he openly discussed his love for Inter Milan and indifference towards Chelsea, has not gone down well with fans.
After all, Romelu Lukaku is Chelsea's most expensive signing of all time. He is expected to be offloaded in the summer with his on-field form being abysmal as well. Lukaku was booed off the pitch by Chelsea fans after a poor performance in their latest game against Brighton.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five players who could replace Romelu Lukaku at Chelsea.
#5 Mauro Icardi (Paris Saint-Germain)
It wasn't very long ago that Mauro Icardi was one of the best strikers in Europe. But since joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, Icardi's form has dipped significantly. In his six years at Inter Milan between 2013 and 2019, Icardi scored 124 goals and provided 29 assists in 219 appearances across all competitions.
In three seasons at PSG, he has scored 38 goals and provided 10 assists in 84 appearances. The 28-year-old has fallen down the pecking order at PSG following the arrival of Lionel Messi last summer. He is looking for a way out and could yet revive his career at a club where he will get regular game time.
PSG are unlikely to play hard ball if Chelsea go knocking on their doors for Icardi this summer. It would be hard to do much worse than what Romelu Lukaku is doing at Chelsea at the moment.
#4 Patrick Schick (Bayer Leverkusen)
Patrick Schick stole the limelight at Euro 2020 with some mesmerizing displays for the Czech Republic. He scored five goals in five appearances in the continental competition and was one of the stars of the tournament.
Schick has tapped into the same vein this term and has been one of the best strikers in Europe. He has scored 18 goals and provided three assists in 16 Bundesliga appearances so far this season.
Like Romelu Lukaku, Schick is tall and strong. He is also slightly more effective at aerial duels than his counterpart. The 25-year-old is also a hard worker. He won't cost Chelsea a fortune, with Bayer Leverkusen reportedly valuing him at €45 million.
#3 Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina)
Fiorentina must surely be hoping to spark a bidding war for their star striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer. The 22 year old has been in sublime form and is the joint leading goalscorer in Serie A this season with 17 goals in 22 appearances.
In 2021, he equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record for most goals scored in Serie A in a single calendar year by netting 33 times. Vlahovic is a tall striker who is clinical in front of goal. He is also excellent at aerial duels and is a constant threat from set-pieces.
Several European giants are interested in Vlahovic. At just 22, he could be a long-term solution at centre-forward and thus won't come for cheap. But Vlahovic will fit right into this young Chelsea side.
If Chelsea do part with Lukaku, they won't really find it hard to cough up enough money to throw at Fiorentina in order to secure the Serbian international's services.
#2 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
After securing the signing of Lukaku last summer, Chelsea would have been happy to bow out of the race to sign Erling Haaland. The Norwegian international is the most sought-after striker in Europe right now.
Several European giants are looking to sign him this summer when a €70 million release clause in his contract becomes active.
However, due to Lukaku's abysmal form, it's difficult to say for sure that Chelsea won't go in for Haaland. The athletic and clinical 21 year old could be at the club for the long-term and he is as good a marksman as any in Europe.
In 19 appearances across all competitions, Haaland has scored 22 goals and provided six assists. The Borussia Dortmund striker will cost a pretty penny but returns are guaranteed.
#1 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Harry Kane wanted to leave Tottenham Hotspur last summer. It hasn't looked like Kane's heart is in North London this season. The 28-year-old is having the worst campaign since he first broke onto the scene, having scored just four goals in 17 Premier League appearances this term.
But we all know that there is a world-class striker in there. Also, Chelsea have the financial muscle to pull this off. The Blues are famous for spending lavishly whenever the need arises. Additionally, they will also look to sell Lukaku in order to free up some funds.
Daniel Levy is also unlikely to ask for £200 million like he did in the summer. It's a long shot but Kane is almost guaranteed to shine at Chelsea.
