The Premier League is ‘too strong, too powerful and too fast’ for Romelu Lukaku, claims ex-Chelsea man John Obi Mikel, as the Belgian striker pushes for a return to Inter Milan after struggling at Stamford Bridge
- Romelu Lukaku is struggling to adapt to the Premier League, says Mikel John Obi
- The Premier League’s pace, power and quality have been difficult for the Belgian
- Mikel Obi claims the Premier League requires more work and effort than Serie A
- Lukaku is running out of time to impress and is linked with a move back to Inter
John Obi Mikel has claimed that Romelu Lukaku is struggling to adapt to the pace of the Premier League after rejoining Chelsea from ‘slow’ Serie A.
The former Blues midfielder, who won the Champions League with the club in 2012, thinks the change in speed and quality has been the reason behind the Belgian striker’s struggles over the past season.
Following his £101.7million move back to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan last summer, only managed eight goals and an assist in the league as he failed to make an impact on his high-profile return to English football.
Romelu Lukaku has struggled to impress at Chelsea despite scoring on his debut this season
Mikel said: ‘The league is totally different. The English league is too strong, too powerful, too fast, whereas the Italian league is too slow.
‘The English league has too much quality. The pace of English football is way too much for the Italian league.
‘In the Italian league you can play until you’re 40 years old, but in the English league you’re putting in way more work’.
John Obi Mikel was part of Chelsea’s underdog Champions League winning side in 2012
Lukaku’s struggles this year have proven to be something of a quandary for Blues boss Thomas Tuchel, after a hugely impressive spell at Inter.
The powerful Belgian forward took headlines by storm after he released a bombshell interview where he stated his unhappiness at Stamford Bridge in December and was dropped from the German’s team.
He improved towards the end of the campaign but has still been tipped to make a swift exit from Stamford Bridge, with heavy links with former club Inter.
Much had been made of Lukaku’s return to west London last summer as he sought to conclude unfinished business he had in the Premier League, after a lack-lustre period at Manchester United.
Despite playing 372 games for Chelsea, Mikel Obi scored just once in the Premier League
And Mikel’s comments underline the explosive striker’s inability to make an impact in England after his high profile switch, and he has often this season looked well off the pace.
But the Belgian needs only to look as far as team-mate Timo Werner to realise he is not the only striker to struggle to get up to speed with the Premier League after impressing elsewhere.
However, after commanding a club record fee he will be well aware that time is running out for him to come good on the promise made by his form in Milan.
The Premier League is not only faster, more powerful and boasts a higher quality than other leagues, as Mikel suggests, but it is becoming far less forgiving, too.
Lukaku guided Inter to their first Scudetto in 11 years, scoring 24 Serie A goals in the process
The front cover of Friday’s Gazzetta dello Sport claims Inzaghi is keen to bring Lukaku back
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