Medical expert issues verdict on Romelu Lukaku injury scuppering Chelsea transfer
Romelu Lukaku’s potential suitors will assess the “long-term implications” and the potential for surgery after the Chelsea man picked up another ankle problem.
That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine data analysis.
Lukaku, 29, limped off with an ankle injury after just 27 minutes during Belgium’s 4-1 defeat against the Netherlands in the Nations League on 3 June.
As quoted by football.london (7 June), manager Roberto Martinez initially said the injury “doesn’t look good” – but later revealed the striker has a “very small” chance of being involved against Poland on Tuesday (14 June).
Lukaku, who has been heavily linked with a return to Inter Milan this summer, was sidelined for seven games after suffering a similar injury in October 2021.
Dinnery claimed interested clubs will be playing a game of “risk and reward” as they circle the £97.5million striker.
He told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury: “Players don’t inherently pass or fail a medical.
“They will go to the club and undergo a number of tests and assessments. They will have every aspect of their life scrutinised and at the end of that, a report will be compiled.
“There’ll be a list of issues or recommendations that may need to be flagged – and then decisions are made on whether a specific injury will have any lasting effects.
“Whether it’s just a minor setback for Lukaku with his right ankle, we don’t know. But he’s had problems with it before.
“Potential clubs will want to know the possible long-term implications of these injuries and whether that is something that may need to be addressed down the line. They will want to know whether there is a possibility of surgery.
“This latest injury won’t put suitors off alone, but there is a wider picture and a long-term focus.
“We’re talking about vast amounts of money, and it’s ultimately down to risk and reward.”
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