MX23RW : Monday, November 25 08:57:20| >> :120:43376:43376:

Ronald Koeman: 'Difficult to replace Romelu Lukaku'

Koeman: 'Difficult to replace Lukaku'
© Offside
Everton boss Ronald Koeman concedes that it was "close to impossible" to find a direct replacement for Romelu Lukaku during the summer transfer window.

Everton boss Ronald Koeman has admitted that it was "close to impossible" to find a direct replacement for Romelu Lukaku during the summer transfer window.

Lukaku scored 87 times in 166 appearances for Everton between 2013 and 2017, before Manchester United paid £75m to sign the Belgian international ahead of the new campaign.

The 24-year-old has six goals in six appearances for the Red Devils this term, and Koeman has conceded that his club have been unable to replace the forward's goals amid their early-season troubles.

"I don't say impossible but that was close to impossible to get someone in who will score that amount of goals that Romelu scored for Everton," Koeman told reporters.

"With Romelu we had enough fights about how he needs to press, how he needs to run, how he needs to move but in the box, with opportunities to score, he is one of the best.

"It is always difficult to replace players like him because of the person he was, the physical boy that he is, the number of goals that he scored. It is difficult."

Everton will travel to United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon off the back of a five-game winless run in all competitions.

ID:307482: cacheID:307482:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2162:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring the second during the Premier League game between Manchester United and West Ham United on August 13, 2017
Read Next:
Lingard: 'Everton return won't faze Lukaku'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!