Chelsea sent brutal Romelu Lukaku verdict as Barcelona eye £59m Erling Haaland transfer backup

Former Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano has insisted that he'll stop watching Barcelona if Romelu Lukaku switches Stamford Bridge for Camp Nou. The Chelsea striker faces an uncertain future in west London having failed to impress since returning in the summer from Inter Milan.

Lukaku has struggled to make good on the eye-watering £97.5million price tag that heralded his return to west London, managing just five goals in 23 Premier League appearances for Thomas Tuchel's side. A revealing interview towards the end of 2021 saw the 28-year-old admit that he was 'not happy' at the club, which did nothing to help the situation.

Since then, Lukaku has struggled to nail down a place in the side, with Timo Werner and Kai Havertz often preferred. But, despite his unconvincing displays when called upon, the Belgium international has courted interest from Barcelona ahead of the summer transfer window.

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The Spanish giants are supposedly in desperate need of a new No.9 next season, amid troubled attempts to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund and Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich, according to Marca. The report outlines that Lukaku has surfaced as Xavi's 'Plan C'.

However, his potential move to Barcelona has rocked the boat. Cassano was outraged by the prospect of Lukaku representing the Catalan side and delivered a brutal verdict on the striker.

"I'm in love with Barca’s philosophy, but if they sign Lukaku I won’t watch a game anymore," the former Italy international said to Bobo TV. "He can’t play three passes with Chelsea where he has no competition. At Barcelona they play 55 before going for goal, how could he do it?"

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