Last summer, the Premier League renewed three slots in the top five most expensive transfers in history at once – Jack Grealish (€117.5m, from Aston Villa to Manchester City), Romelu Lukaku (€113m, from Inter to Manchester City) got there. Chelsea) and Jadon Sancho (85 million euros, from Borussia to Manchester United). Despite the price tag, all three are clearly failing in new clubs so far.
Sancho’s performance and lookout
Sancho’s problems look the most serious (fewer minutes and only 10 in the Premier League), but Jadon has more important excuses: he never played in the Premier League, the general crisis in the team, a change of coach during the season and age. Grealish and Lukaku have nothing on this list: both have had experience in the Premier League, both changed the situation at the peak of their careers (Jack at 25, Romelu at 28), and their clubs are having a good season (City is the leader in the Premier League, Chelsea in the top 4 and reaching the League Cup final), especially good compared to Manchester United’s season.
Grealish and Lukaku compared
The Grealish and Lukaku problems themselves are very similar. Both came after the best season in their careers, but from clubs that play in a different style compared to the new team. Both can’t adjust and even admit it. It’s funny that both of them even gave an interview about difficulties with adaptation almost at the same time – at the end of December (although Jack hinted at them even earlier). The coolness of the fall of Grealish and Lukaku is well conveyed even by points on goal pass. Last season, Jack had 6 10, this season he has only 2 2 (we count only the championship). Lukaku had a great 24 11 last season, and a modest 5 0 this season. The importance and dynamics of even these outbursts speaks volumes: Jack excelled in matches that ended in 5-0, 5-0, 4-1 and 7-0 victories, Lukaku scored 3 goals out of 5 by mid-September (since only 1 goal without standards). Due to the similar symptomatology of the players’ problems, it is easy to compare. Let’s get started.
Grealish and Lukaku’s reflection in the interview are pure tactic references. But Pep took the claims more calmly than Tuchel. In addition to the most high-profile part of the interview about the desire to return to Inter (by the way, Romelu, thank you for giving me so many memes!), Lukaku’s conversation with Sky Italia also included an interesting tactical part. There, the Belgian almost directly made claims to Thomas Tuchel: “I am unhappy with the situation, it is quite natural. The head coach decided to use a different scheme, but I must not give up, I must continue to work hard and remain professional. I repeat, I am dissatisfied with the situation, but I am a fighter and I am definitely not going to give up.
Inside Chelsea, they sided with the coach (and not only the leaders, but also the players). Moreover, Romel had to apologize for his words, and Tuchel even removed him from the match with Liverpool.