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Updated April 3rd, 2022 at 20:42 IST

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez hints at Romelu Lukaku quitting Chelsea in summer

Roberto Martinez said that since several players may change clubs in the summer, they can only be assessed when the new season begins before the World Cup.

Reported by: Vidit Dhawan
Roberto Martinez and Romelu Lukaku
Image: Twitter@Chelsea, AP | Image:self
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With Romelu Lukaku failing to be named in the starting eleven for Chelsea in recent games, Belgium national head coach Roberto Martinez has suggested that the 28-year old may need to quit the Blues if he wants to make it to the FIFA 2022 World Cup squad this year.

Martinez: Lukaku needs to leave Chelsea to secure World Cup spot

While speaking to The Sun, Roberto Martinez said, "We are talking about players, like Romelu, who have got over 100 caps and are part of this group of players who know the national team inside out. I’m not going to judge or assess the condition of any player until after the summer because it is not a normal situation. It is still seven months to the World Cup and probably you will go into the details of how a player feels when it gets closer to it than now."

Martinez added that with several players likely to switch clubs in the summer, they can only be assessed when the new season commences before the FIFA 2022 World Cup. "But there will be a lot of players who change clubs or are going to feel in a different way in the summer. Romelu needs to be assessed on how he feels in September, the same way Eden Hazard does and some others. But he is one of the players for whom the summer could be a big moment for their careers."

Lukaku has struggled ever since he returned to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan last summer, having only scored nine goals from 31 games across all competitions. Moreover, he has been left on the bench for Chelsea's last four Premier League matches. Martinez finished his comments by highlighting that while the 28-year old was in a good place, it was vital for him to finish the season well with the club.

"I have a very close relationship with all my players. I would never tell a player what to do but we always share thoughts. At the moment Romelu is in a good place. He is so committed. He was delighted to win the Club World Cup and the next step is to finish the season strong with Chelsea and make sure he can feel very important," concluded Martinez.

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Published April 3rd, 2022 at 20:42 IST

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