Romelu Lukaku’s return to Inter Milan in the 2022/23 season was meant to be a revival for his career after he’d hit a bit of a funk in the previous season at Chelsea. When he left Manchester United for Inter three seasons prior, Romelu was on top of his game and won over Nerazzurri fans with his passion and commitment to the team. But his return to the San Siro was not without its struggles. A poor run of form saw him lose favor with the fans and – even worse – the Italian press.
Lukaku’s torrid season only worsens with news of his depleting market value. According to a SportingPost.com report, he has suffered the largest market value drop globally over the last year. The site has provided data showing his initial valuation of €100M has dipped by €45M at the time of writing. This drop represents a 45% decline in his market worth.
Freddie Smith, CEO of SportingPost, recently discussed Romelu Lukaku’s plummet in market value. He said’
Lukaku’s performance on the field has dropped and this is what is causing his stock to dip. Injuries and inconsistencies have plagued his game hampering his effectiveness in matches. But he’s a player who has plenty of potential and could very well turn this situation around.
SportingPost CEO Freddie Smith
Other Notable Players Whose Values have Dipped
Lukaku’s Inter teammate Stefan di Vrij has the second-largest market value drop. Though the Dutch center-back has been heavily rumored to transfer at the end of this summer season, his market value has dropped drastically. Reports say Stefan di Vrij’s market value has slumped 67%, decreasing from €45M to €15M.
Similarly, Marcus Rashford has seen his value depreciate by €30M. His stock stood at €55M in 2022 after tumbling 35.5%. That followed an underwhelming 2021/22 EPL campaign with the Red Devils and an equally disappointing Euro 2020 campaign with England. But recently, Marcus has hit a fine vein of form, which should take his value back up.
Memphis Depay, Antoinne Griezmann, and Timo Werner have all seen a drastic drop in their market value, at €25M each. Depay experienced the most significant decrease, with a 55.6% depreciation that brought his value down to €20M. The remaining two lost 50% of their valuations to bring their respective worths to €25M each.
What Next for Lukaku?
Lukaku’s future has been the talk of the town, with the player wanting to stay on with Inter and experts speculating a possible return to Chelsea. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, ex-Chelsea great, is one such predictor, as he thinks Lukaku would be key in helping Graham Potter sort Chelsea’s struggling attacking positions.
Inter must also decide if they want to make his move to San Siro permanent or allow him to play on loan for another season. It’s a tough decision for the Nerazzurri to make as he is struggling to rediscover his best form. Additionally, his injury history, having just turned 30, isn’t encouraging.
Where Lukaku ends up playing in the next season remains to be seen. But there’s no denying the Belgian’s quality and worth to any team that can help him rediscover his form.
