Everton are too trapped in the past for Lukaku
ROMELU LUKAKU has laid bare his reasons for wanting to leave Everton this summer, citing the club’s lack of ambition as the defining factor. The Belgium international stunned Everton’s hierarchy this week when he told them he wouldn’t commit to a new deal. The club had put together the biggest financial package in their history and were prepared to pay him in excess of £130,000 a week. Talks had been ongoing since last summer and it appeared Lukaku would commit his future, only for the 23-yearold to perform a U-turn. Everton have not given up hope of changing his mind, but this has not come down to him asking for more money or a dispute between Everton and Mino Raiola, his agent. With two years left on his deal, he won’t commit to a longer stay if Everton can’t reach the heights he craves. ‘Everton as a club have a great history, right?’ said Lukaku. ‘But the future has to be written. You get me? We always talk about the teams of the 1980s and, if you look, it was great. But we, as players, want the fans talking about us instead of us talking about them. No disrespect but you know what I mean? ‘You cannot only be remembered by scoring goals. You want to be remembered by winning trophies. ‘That is what the fans want. So instead of living in the past, you have to think ahead. ‘How this club has to grow, how this club has to improve. Which player does it want to bring in so you can challenge for the big trophies? ‘Sometimes I speak to Vincent Kompany, who was at Manchester City when it all happened. He said: “Rom, one summer I just came in and boom, boom, boom… Robinho from there, this guy came in, this guy came in”. ‘Everyone was criticising them but, at the end, there are two league titles, FA Cup here, League Cups there. That is what we want as players.’