Tammy Abraham confessed that Romelu Lukaku’s underwhelming return to Chelsea has taken him somewhat by surprise.
Speaking to Alan Shearer for The Athletic, the Roma striker relayed the feeling of shock many supporters and pundits have felt towards Lukaku’s second stint at Stamford Bridge.
Romelu Lukaku’s dream turned nightmare
Initially, everything surrounding the Belgian’s mega-money move from Inter Milan to the European champions was one of unbridled optimism.
Chelsea had just sealed the signing of Serie A’s most recent MVP, following his 24-goals that fired Inter to the league title.
Thomas Tuchel’s employers finally landed the traditional number nine evidently missing from the senior squad.
Add his figures to a team already spilling over with quality and surely Manchester City would be peering nervously over their shoulder.
And the fact he used to be a Blue showered the scene with giddy nostalgia.
After scoring four times in four games, the decision to make Lukaku the club-record recruit seemed to be a wise one.
Yet, everyone knows how the story has since turned out.
A tail of bright beginnings, a muddied middle turning into one of misery, with potentially a fatal finish awaiting him.
Injuries, poor form and some questionable actions away from the pitch have left the 28-year-old’s homecoming in tatters.
Tammy Abraham talks about tough times
“Of course,” said Abraham, when asked whether he has been taken aback by his fellow centre-forward’s struggles.
“We all know how great he was at Inter Milan and what kind of player he is… You know, I’ve been there, I’ve had the experience of not playing at Chelsea and how difficult that can be when people expect so much of you.
“And as you would know, all strikers have these moments in their careers. It’s about how you deal with it and overcome it.”
Although Abraham is saying all the right things, deep down he might be quietly rejoicing Lukaku’s misfortunes.
After all, him leaving Chelsea was pretty much down to the former Inter attacker.
When Lukaku touched down at Cobham, the academy graduate knew it was time to flee the nest.
Thankfully, everything has worked out pretty well for Abraham.
He is Roma’s top scorer this season, netting 24 times across all competitions, double the tally of his Chelsea successor.
Perhaps Tuchel regrets swapping the pair in the first place.
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