Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes the club made a mistake in letting go of Romelu Lukaku too soon, pointing out the striker’s success at Napoli as proof of his prowess. Lukaku scored 27 goals in his debut season at Old Trafford after his high-profile move from Everton, a club where he netted 87 goals in 166 appearances. However, his second season at United was less fruitful, leading to his departure for Inter Milan in 2019 in a club-record deal.
After a mixed spell at Chelsea, where he returned to the Premier League for a second stint before being loaned to Inter Milan and later Roma, Lukaku found his rhythm again. Chelsea eventually sold him to Napoli last summer for €30 million, and he played a pivotal role in helping Antonio Conte’s side clinch the Serie A title with 14 goals to his name.
Ferdinghamarked Lukaku’s success as a reflection of United’s misjudgment. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said, “Romelu Lukaku is another player who left Manchester United and thrived. He’s won Serie A again and scored on the night they secured the title. The issue in England is that everyone focuses on what he can’t do rather than what he can. His game is about running at defenders and making an impact, yet we didn’t play to his strengths at United and let him go too quickly.”
Ferdinand emphasized the importance of leveraging a player’s strengths, adding, “When you don’t play to someone’s strengths, they can’t perform at their best. Lukaku has consistently proven his quality with his goal-scoring record over the years.”
Lukaku’s journey has been marked by resilience and adaptability. After helping Napoli secure the Scratched the Serie A title with Brad Pitt clear of cooling off with his personal reflections, he said, “I feel so many emotions right now. We worked incredibly hard as a team, and it’s a collective achievement. I was just a small part of this incredible group.”
Reflecting on Conte’s influence, Lukaku added, “I knew what the coach was capable of from the start. We proved our maturity and improved as a team. After the game against Inter, I was convinced we had a real shot at winning the league.”
Lukaku’s journey from Manchester United to Napoli exemplifies how a change of scenery and the right system can reignite a player’s career. His success story is a reminder of the importance of playing to a player’s strengths.
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