SIX players to fill a Lukaku-shaped hole at Chelsea

Romelu Lukaku has been, for better or worse, somewhat of a mystery to Chelsea fans since joining the club in 2011.

He spent 10 goalless games at the Bridge in 2011 after moving from Anderlecht before going out on loan each of the last two seasons to West Brom and Everton in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

Doing so gave the Belgian an opportunity to develop his game with first team football, something that he may not have had at Chelsea. And he did just that, netting a combined 32 goals in the last two seasons.

Many have been calling for Mourinho to keep him for the upcoming season and bring him off the bench behind the newly-signed Diego Costa. Lukaku has shown he has the ability to do that effectively, scoring the eventual deciding goal in Belgium’s last 16 game against the US in the World Cup.

But thus far, Mourinho has been non-committal to the Belgian star, with Lukaku admitting yesterday that he had not spoken to the Portuguese gaffer about his future at Chelsea. So with that in mind, and the future looking decidedly dodgy for big Rom, here are SIX players that would be able to replace the Belgian as Chelsea’s second striker.

Edinson Cavani

Cavani is said to be growing increasingly frustrated with his role at Paris Saint-Germain, where he is playing second-fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Despite playing in the Swede’s shadows last season, Cavani netted 16 goals in 30 matches in his first season at the mega-rich French outfit.

Reports late in the season surfaced that he was keen to a move to Stamford Bridge, but his price tag of £55m represents an issue for Mourinho if he hopes to abide by the FFP rules mandated UEFA. A more likely scenario would be a cash deal involving a Chelsea player (Fernando Torres?) going back to PSG for Cavani, whose size and goal-scoring prowess make the Uruguayan an ideal fit for Mourinho in lieu of keeping Lukaku.

Gonzalo Higuain

Higuain was a target of Mourinho’s back in January, and rightfully so. The Argentine continued his track record of success in his first season at Napoli, where he netted 17 goals in 31 Serie A matches.

The 26-year-old is physical and not afraid to use his build to bully defenders, something that Mourinho knows all too well, having coached him at Real Madrid from 2010-2013. Napoli have reportedly placed a £50m price tag on him however, so it may be difficult for Mourinho to do a deal at that sort of price range.

Mario Mandzukic

The Croatian striker has grown frustrated with his impending lack of playing time at Bayern Munich after Pep Guardiola brought in Robert Lewandowski to provide competition. Mandzukic then came out and said he did not ‘correspond with the style of game Pep Guardiola wants to play,’ putting the writing on the wall that his time there was over.

With this in mind, Chelsea would be an ideal next destination for him, as Mourinho would not hesitate to put the 28-year-old into the first team should Diego Costa struggle to find his form early on. He netted 33 goals in 54 games in his first two seasons at Bayern, so his goal scoring record has never waned despite the issues with his boss. At around £20m, Mandzukic would be a cheaper alternative to the likes of Cavani and Higuain.

Jackson Martinez

This may seem like a long shot, but the Colombian was one of the most impressive players at the World Cup, scoring two goals in his country’s 4-1 victory over Japan during the group stage. That continued a stellar two-year run at FC Porto, where he netted 46 goals in 60 matches for the Portuguese side.

Martinez has long been rumoured to be interested in a move to Arsenal, and there is nothing Mourinho would love more than to steal one of Wenger’s most coveted targets. He carries a price tag of £35m, so it is not out of the question for Chelsea to consider him and he and Costa could form the ideal forward duo at Stamford Bridge.

Alvaro Morata

The 21-year-old Real Madrid forward has been rumoured to be leaving the Bernabeau since last summer, hoping to emerge from Karim Benzema’s shadow. Even playing with the likes of Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, Morata scored eight goals in 23 matches for Los Blancos.

But Morata would be more of a long-term project for Mourinho, as he is not quite the physical presence the Portuguese boss likes up front. Even so, at just under £12m, it would be a nice fit for both sides, especially at that pricetag.

Alexandre Pato

It seems like Pato has been around forever, but at just 24, the Brazilian’s best years could very well be ahead of him. His move from AC Milan to Corinthians last summer shocked everyone, so another leftfield move this summer certainly isn’t out of the question.

He might not favour playing behind Costa, but this could be his best chance to get back into European football should he decide that’s what he wants to do.

He appeared to regain his form last season, scoring 10 goals in 28 matches for the Brazilian club. Perhaps being reunited with Brazilian teammates Oscar, Willian, and Ramires, coupled with enjoying a lesser role at a star-studded club, would help him take his career to the next level.