• Premier League

'Proud' Lukaku hopes Drogba stays to guide him

ESPN staff
August 23, 2011
Oriel Romeu and Romelu Lukaku are unveiled © Getty Images
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Romelu Lukaku has admitted he is 'very proud' to have joined Chelsea - but hopes the man many believe he has been bought to replace, Didier Drogba, stays at the club for a very long time.

The 18-year-old Lukaku finally formally completed his multi-million move from Anderlecht last week, and was unveiled at the club's Cobham training centre on Tuesday alongside fellow new signing Oriel Romeu.

Having previously admitted that he has supported Chelsea for a number of years, the striker expressed his delight at finally getting the chance to play at Stamford Bridge.

"I am very proud to be here. I've waited for a long time to come to this club," Lukaku said. "It makes me very proud at my young age to come here. After one week I'm really focused to be a part of the squad."

Lukaku enjoyed a prodigious scoring record in his native Belgium, but has already been warned by manager Andre Villas-Boas that he will need to be even better in order to succeed in English football.

"The Premier League is the biggest competition in the world so it will not be as easy as back in Belgium," Lukaku acknowledged. "But first of all I am learning from the players here. The manager has told me to train hard and to be as fit as possible because he explained that the club is at a very high level and it needs much more effort than in Belgium. I am aware of that."

Lukaku has been compared to fellow Blues striker Drogba due to his similar size and speed, and has been touted in many quarters as the natural successor to the 33-year-old. While Lukaku admits they are alike in many ways, he hopes the Ivory Coast international stays at the club for a number of seasons yet.

"[We are] very similar, very, very similar," Lukaku said. "He has pace and one-against-one is also very strong. To be compared with Didier is a very big honour for me.

"He assists me also in training. Every moment I spend with him I listen all the time because he always gives me advice. With Nico [Anelka] and Fernando [Torres] it's also the same so I'm very happy to have these strikers around me.

"I don't think I can replace him, I hope he stays here as long as possible. He's a world class striker."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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