Latest news with #RomeluLukaku
The Sun
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Chelsea striker curse laid bare with £550m spent, only five hits and no No9 for two years – can Delap finally break it?
OVER the last 22 years Chelsea have spent almost £550million on strikers — but only a handful have proven to be a success. The No9 shirt has been "cursed" at Stamford Bridge and nobody has worn the number since flop Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departed two years ago with one league goal to his name. 7 7 7 Liam Delap is next to fill the centre-forward boots, arriving for £30m from Ipswich. But despite the 22-year-old's talent shining through in a relegated side, there are no guarantees he will end the club's long-standing nightmare. It dates back to 2003 when Adrian Mutu arrived for £15.8m from Parma. The Romanian managed just six Premier League goals before he was released following a positive test for cocaine. Since then, the likes of Hernan Crespo, Andriy Shevchenko and Fernando Torres have all failed to match expectations after joining for massive fees. In more recent times, Alvaro Morata and Timo Werner have been added to the long list of big-money mistakes. Romelu Lukaku has cost Chelsea a total of £117.5m, taking into account his two spells at Stamford Bridge. And in his 36 league matches, the Belgian hit the back of the net a disappointing eight times at a rate of £14.7m per Prem goal. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 7 The difficulties also stretch to loan signings like Radamel Falcao, Alexandre Pato and Gonzalo Higuain. They managed just seven goals between them before the club happily showed them the exit door. From embarrassing Chelsea pal to interview with dad - Five times Cole Palmer stole show AFTER Conference League finals Even away from centre-forwards, the "cursed" No9 shirt usually worn by goalscorers went to others like midfielder Steve Sidwell and defender Khalid Boulahrouz. Success stories are hard to find with the £24m deal for legend Didier Drogba and the £32m splashed on cult hero Diego Costa among the few that have not been weighed down by the pressure of leading the line for the Blues. But Delap has the ability to join them in becoming a Chelsea hero. His movement is exceptional, he links up play well and boasts the pace to stretch the pitch. The Blues risk becoming predictable in Enzo Maresca 's structured approach and when Nicolas Jackson was out injured, the team struggled for goals and an outlet. But Delap is also a provider, creating 21 chances for his Ipswich team-mates on top of his 12 goals for a side that hit the back of the net just 36 times all season. BBC pundit Danny Murphy believes Delap can be Harry Kane 's England successor, saying: 'I think he's the best young English striker out there. "I know he's got a bit to learn, and wisdom comes with experience and game time in this league, but he's got all the attributes to be a top international player. 'I just don't see a weakness for him. He's scored enough goals in a struggling side, really, but he gets a lot of chances and he'll score more. 'He's just got that lovely balance between physical and technical. Rarely you get both. He's really just super talented." Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge 7
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Serie A Champions Sign Manchester City Legend
Serie A Champions Sign Manchester City Legend originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Napoli's first move of the summer transfer window is complete, and it's a massive one. The Serie A champions are set to add Belgian maestro Kevin De Bruyne after Manchester City opted to not renew his contract, which expires at the end of June. The move stems from De Bruyne's recent injury history and their ambition to acquire younger talent. Advertisement "Honestly, I still think I can perform at this level like I'm showing but I understand that clubs have to make decisions,' a disappointed De Bruyne said in April. "Obviously, I was a bit surprised but I have to accept it." According to sources, De Bruyne is anticipated to sign his deal with Napoli at the start of June, with just a few things left to finalize. His close ties with Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku along with his wedding taking place in Sorrento, Italy, makes the transfer an easy decision despite having offers from Liverpool and Chicago Fire. The midfielder joined City in 2015 from Wolfsburg at a price of £54.5m. Now, he departs the club as a legend with six Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League (UCL) crown, and 16 total trophies. Advertisement He's done playing at Etihad stadium as one of their own, but he left his mark by scoring 108 goals and 177 assists in 422 appearances across all competitions. Under Antonio Conte, Napoli emerged as an easy choice for De Bruyne, who is rumored to earn around €6m per season plus a €10m signing bonus on a three-year deal. After just narrowly winning the Serie A title over Inter Milan, who take on Paris Saint Germain in the UCL final today, Conte's Napoli have their eyes on the European tournament in 2026. De Bruyne's playmaking and vision are surely to transform their attack for the better and time will tell if it's a successful move or not. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Kevin De Bruyne ‘to join Napoli within days with Serie A winners to snap up Man City legend in stunning free transfer'
KEVIN DE BRUYNE is reportedly on the brink of joining Italian champions Napoli. The Belgian midfielder is a free agent after his Manchester City contract came to an end. 1 De Bruyne bid farewell to fans after a decade of silverware at the Etihad. But reports claims he has already found a new club just days after leaving the Premier League. According to Di Marzio, De Bruyne has struck a deal to join newly-crowned Serie A kings Napoli. Antonio Conte's men pipped Champions League finalists Inter Milan to Italian football's greatest prize by a single point. And to celebrate, Napoli are now looking to quickly wrap up a move for De Bruyne on Sunday. Negotiations are said to be a formality, with paperwork expected to be finalised tomorrow. De Bruyne will then undergo a medical before penning a contract, with an official announcement to follow afterwards. And the transfer will see him link up with striker Romelu Lukaku, with the pair already enjoying a fine partnership together for Belgium. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Revealed: How Man United and Arsenal flop can make European history in Champions League final
Henrikh Mkhitaryan can etch his name in the history books of European football after Saturday's Champions League final. Inter Milan face PSG in the showpiece event at the Allianz Arena, the latter of whom seek to life the title for the first time ever. Meanwhile, Inter bid to win their fourth in club history. Mkhitaryan has been instrumental in leading the Italian giants to the final, having created the third-most chances of any Inter player throughout the tournament. Not to mention, the 36-year-old has started seven of his side's last eight Champions League games, and has been operated reliably in the five-man midfield of Simone Inzaghi's 3-5-2 setup. Wind back the clock some six years ago and it was all doom and gloom for Mkhitaryan; he watched from home as his former club Arsenal suffered a 4-1 humiliation against Chelsea in the 2019 Europa League final. But the Armenian maestro has enjoyed his football this decade and has breathed new life into his career in Italy. Tonight in Munich, Germany, he has the chance to complete the trifecta of European titles. Having won both the Europa League and the Europa Conference League under Jose Mourinho - in 2017 with Manchester United and 2022 with Roma - Mkhitaryan is yet to lift just one of the three continental trophies. And ahead of tonight's final, the midfielder stressed the importance of experience - but not just his own. Former Man United stars Matteo Darmian and Romelu Lukaku are also veterans of the game and have the chance to stamp their experience down against a young Barcelona side.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Can Simone Inzaghi Finally Guide Inter Milan To European Glory?
MUNICH FOOTBALL ARENA, MUNICH, GERMANY - 2025/05/30: Simone Inzaghi, head coach of Fc Internazionale ... More looks on during training session on the eve of the UEFA Champions League Final 2025 match between Paris Saint-Germain Fc and Fc Internazionale. (Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images) Can Simone Inzaghi get Inter Milan over the line this time around? The Italian coach has guided the Nerazzurri back to the Champions League final for the second time in three years, and now face an in-form Paris Saint-Germain side in Uefa's showpiece even in Munich. Two years ago, Inzaghi's men fell to Manchester City in Istanbul, in a game many believed they should've won. Then, only Romelu Lukaku prevented Inter taking City into extra-time. Two years on and the three-time European champions want to right the wrongs of that night in the Turkish capital. Inter lost the Scudetto on the final day of the Serie A season to Napoli, and after also losing in the Coppa Italia semi final to AC Milan, Europe remains their only chance of winning silverware this season. For Inzaghi and many of his side, this feels like a now or never moment. The coach has been linked with a massive money move to Saudi Arabia side Al-Hilal, and other members of the squad are in their 30s and likely won't get another chance to secure Uefa's premier club competition. Francesco Acerbi, Yann Sommer, Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are all in their early to mid-30s, while Acerbi is closer to 40 than 30. Some of these players will likely never get another chance again, and they have to take it in Munich. That element could spur some of Inzaghi's battle-hardened veterans on, against a PSG side that are younger and have more vigour about them. Luis Enrique's side have been nothing short of fantastic in the latter rounds of the competition after failing to impress in the new group stage format. Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal were all seen off en route to Munich, and the tactical battle between the Spaniard's 4-3-3 and Inzaghi's 3-5-2 will be a sight to behold. Luis Enrique has won this trophy before, of course. His first time also came against Italian opposition in the shape of Juventus, a decade ago in Berlin. Then, he could call on the services of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar at the peak of their powers. Now, he has Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola ready to inflict damage. For PSG, winning the Champions League could represent QSI's decade-plus pursuit of Europe's biggest trophy. For Inter, victory would rubber-stamp this current period of greatness under Inzaghi, lifting the one major trophy missing from his four-year spell at the club. It's also the first time either of these two sides have met in a competitive setting, adding further intrigue. It's easy to bill the final as defence against attack, youth against experience, but it's more nuanced than that. Inter have that perfect blend of both, with Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolo Barella, Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram all in the prime of their careers. All four will likely have a big say in Munich, especially Martinez, who hasn't kicked a ball since the win over Barcelona three weeks ago. A winner is hard to judge, and that's how all Champions League finals should be. Now, all that's left is hopes of a good match.
