Daily Mail

Lukaku right to stay put

- By DOMINIC KING

RONALD KOEMAN has urged Romelu Lukaku to leave Chelsea disappoint­ed again in tonight’s match between the teams at Stamford Bridge, as he revealed how Everton’s fortunes changed after a summer phone call.

The Belgium striker was keen to return to west London, two years after he had joined Everton for £28million. Everton wanted £65m for Lukaku but they received no official bid and the 23-year- old told new manager Koeman he was happy to stay.

Koeman believes Lukaku, who has seven goals and three assists this season, made the correct call. ‘That was the most significan­t thing that happened in the summer,’ said Koeman. ‘We try to be prepared because he will not play (for Everton) for ever.

‘ He is a big striker who will always generate interest from big clubs, but the boy is 23 and he took the right decision.

‘He can improve and he needs to improve. That’s good because it is very difficult to get a replacemen­t for a player who compares to Romelu, maybe impossible.’

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has warned Eden Hazard he must be at peak fitness to fulfil his potential. ‘It’s important in modern football. You must have talent and technique, but also run with intensity,’ said the Italian.

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