Why Leeds United should avoid a move for Jordan Lukaku
According to claims from Italian outlet Il Messaggero (h/t Leeds Live), Leeds United have made an enquiry about the availability of Lazio left-back Jordan Lukaku.
As per the source, the 26-year-old is expected to depart the Italian capital this summer after struggling for regular minutes over the past two seasons. Lukaku has a contract with Lazio until the summer of 2022 but he could be available for as little as £3.6million.
Profile
Born in Antwerp, Belgium, Jordan Lukaku rose through the youth ranks of Anderlecht and made 9 first-team appearances for his boyhood club before completing a move to domestic rivals Oostende.
The 26-year-old went on to establish himself as a regular player at Oostende, registering 3 goals and 10 assists in 83 appearances before moving across the continent to join Lazio in the summer of 2016.
Lukaku played a bit-part role in his first two seasons at the club but gradually slipped down the pecking order, largely due to competition for places and injuries. The Belgian international has cut a marginalized figure at Lazio over the past two campaigns, starting just 2 Serie A games in the process.
Leeds need a left-back but Lukaku not the answer
As good as he is when it comes to getting the best out of his players, Marcelo Bielsa successfully shoehorned specialist wingers like Stuart Dallas and Ezgjan Alioski into left-backs en route to the Whites triumphant Championship campaign last term.
Barry Douglas is currently the only specialist left-back in the club’s ranks but his future remains up in the air after featuring just 15 times in the league in the previous campaign.
With Leeds now set to make the step up to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years, it should be a priority for them to bring in some specialist cover at left-back. However, a move for Jordan Lukaku might not be the wisest piece of business for the West Yorkshire giants due to a number of reasons.
Firstly, the 26-year-old hasn’t played a lot of football over the past two seasons, partly due to his struggles with injuries. Hence, it would be a gamble for Leeds to invest in a new player with a patchy fitness record.
Secondly, there isn’t enough evidence to suggest that Lukaku could be a substantial upgrade on the likes of Dallas, Douglas, and Alioski, considering that he has never been a regular for Lazio in the Serie A.
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Verdict
Suffice to say, Leeds United need to keep their eyes off Jordan Lukaku as they simply can’t afford any gambles in their bid for survival in the Premier League. Having said that, the Whites might as well look at other options in the market if they are genuinely interested in bolstering their left-back ranks.
