Romelu Lukaku has faced fierce criticism from Turkish pundits over his fitness and weight after a slow start to life at Fenerbahce, the club he joined in the summer after leaving Napoli.
Not for the first time, the former Manchester United striker has been accused of being overweight and out of shape. During his two-year spell at Old Trafford, Lukaku once shocked staff by returning for pre-season 9lbs above his ideal weight, and the club soon sold him to Inter Milan. Similar concerns arose at Napoli under Antonio Conte, who reportedly ordered him to shed 20lbs.
Turkish pundits turn on Lukaku
The latest criticism followed Fenerbahce’s 6-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the Europa League. Lukaku came on for only the final 20 minutes, with his side already 4-0 down. Former Besiktas coach Sinan Engin fumed: “Lukaku, aren’t you ashamed? Don’t you ever look in a mirror?
“My advice: stop eating anything after 6pm because you’re putting on weight. Get yourself a nutritionist and a personal trainer.
“How did Lukaku score all those goals? Is this really the right Lukaku who came? You can’t fool us.”
Former Fenerbahce player Semih Senturk took a softer tone but still voiced his disappointment. “I expected a lot from Lukaku, but it’s very disappointing,” he said. “What’s going to happen if he plays three or four matches in a row?”
Another ex-Fenerbahce player, Tumer Metin, blamed Lukaku for Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation” failing to win a major trophy. The 33-year-old has scored 94 goals in 135 appearances for his country.
Fenerbahce urged patience
Fenerbahce did warn that Lukaku would need time to regain peak fitness after his free-agent move in the summer. Sporting director Oguz Cetin said at the time: “We should not expect miracles from Lukaku in the short term.
“Steps must be taken to make him stronger. We will work on improving his physical condition. His integration into the team will be visible within four to six weeks.”
First goal eases pressure
Lukaku went some way to silencing his critics by scoring his first goal for the club after starting Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Alanyaspor. The result left the Istanbul side third in the Super Lig, three points behind leaders and bitter rivals Galatasaray.
The win also eased the pressure on head coach Ismail Karta, who has faced calls to be sacked. Fenerbahce host Slavia Prague in the Europa League on Tuesday before a crucial visit to Galatasaray on Monday.