Football
PA Sport 9y

Lukaku price tag brings harsher criticism, says Everton's Jagielka

Everton captain Phil Jagielka has no doubt judgement of Romelu Lukaku's form has been harsher this term simply because of the striker's hefty price tag.

Lukaku became the Toffees' record buy last summer when they signed him for £28million from Chelsea after having him on loan for the previous season, in which he scored 16 goals for the Merseysiders in all competitions.

The 21-year-old has had his critics since making the permanent switch.

But he earned plenty of praise for notching his first Everton hat-trick in Thursday's 4-1 Europa League victory at Young Boys, and that treble made it six goals for Lukaku in his last eight games and a total of 13 so far for the season.

Jagielka said of the Belgium international: "We've never had an issue but people talk.

"When he's farmed out on loan, there's no big fee. When he's bought, he's exactly the same player and exactly the same person, but unfortunately there's a price tag by the side of him, and as soon as the price tag comes in, people want to have a bit harsher opinion.

"You go from one season or two seasons before when there's a lot of potential and he's still a young man, to him being the full package now because you've paid a lot of money for him.

"He's still a young man. We've paid a lot of money for him - not just for one season but for the future.

"Hopefully he'll come out of the Young Boys match smiling, and happy footballers normally play better.

"His confidence is sky-high and I think it could have been 7-3 by the end of the night."

Thursday's last-32 first-leg triumph at the Stade de Suisse saw the momentum continue in Everton's impressive European campaign, which has been in stark contrast to how they have fared on the domestic front.

The Toffees finished fifth in the Barclays Premier League last season, but are currently 12th ahead of Sunday's home clash with rock-bottom Leicester.

Lukaku was recently quoted as saying he would like to "eventually arrive at a top club again" - a matter boss Roberto Martinez played down on Thursday, claiming the frontman had demonstrated he "loves playing for Everton" with his performance in the Young Boys game.

And Jagielka thinks Lukaku has just been feeling the same frustration about the club's fortunes away from Europe as the rest of the squad.

"He is as frustrated as the rest of us," England centre-back Jagielka said.

"We don't want to be where we are in the league but there's only one way we can fix that.

"We've put on some very decent performances recently but not been as sharp at the offensive end.

"But it's for us to try to open up defences back in the Premier League."

Asked if he thought Everton and Lukaku could transfer the form from their latest fine European showing into the Premier League, Jagielka added: "Time will tell - we'd like to, but it's a different style of play.

"I can't see them being as open at the back on Sunday as Young Boys were. It will be a slightly different type of game, but goals breed confidence.

"Trying to unlock defences in a similar way in the Premier League is the test and the manager knows that.

"Last season we managed to do it, this season it's been a little bit more difficult.

"We've still got a lot of work to do and it's back to the hard stuff come Sunday."

^ Back to Top ^