Romelu Lukaku has returned to Serie A with AS Roma (Picture: Getty Images)
Romelu Lukaku can replicate the success of Gabriel Batistuta at Roma and fire the club into Serie A title contention, believes Filippo Inzaghi.
The 30-year-old has joined Roma on loan from Chelsea for the season as his disastrous second spell with the Blues limps on with him away from the club.
The Belgian has enjoyed great success in Serie A before with Inter Milan, although last season on loan with Inter was frustrated by injury and not finding his best form.
Lukaku scored 14 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions and Inter reached the Champions League final, so it was hardly terrible, but it did not live up to his previous stint with the club when he scored 64 goals in 95 games.
Despite this, former Juventus and AC Milan striker, and current Reggina manager Inzaghi thinks Lukaku can be a stunning success in Rome.
Legendary Argentinian striker Batistuta moved to Roma from Fiorentina in 2000 and won the league title in his first season with the club. Inzaghi thinks Lukaku can have a similar influence.
‘I thought he would have stayed at Inter with my brother [Simone], but in the end, I realise he’s gone to the best team for him,’ Inzaghi told Il Messaggero.
Gabriel Batistuta won the Serie A title with Roma in 2001 (Picture: Getty Images)
‘He can have the same effect on Roma, similar to what Batistuta did in Florence. Do you remember it? The push towards Roma’s championship was dictated precisely by the arrival of the Argentine. The city lit up and also the team.
‘I say that Lukaku, paired with [Paulo] Dybala, can take [Jose] Mourinho to the Scudetto zone. After that I don’t know if they will be able to win. The Belgian could not have chosen a better place if he was looking for appreciation.’
If Roma are going to launch a title challenge then they are going to have to improve dramatically after a poor start to the season.
A home draw with Salernitana on the opening day has been followed by defeats to Verona and AC Milan, leaving them 18th in Serie A with just one point from three games.
Lukaku made his debut in the loss to Milan, coming off the bench in the second half.
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Serious praise for the striker.