When it comes to separating a fan base, no player in recent time divides Everton’s quite like Romelu Lukaku.
The Belgian striker was nothing but successful at Goodison Park, scoring 87 goals and registering 29 assists in 166 games at the club.
Indeed, he remains the Blues top goalscorer in the Premier League era and a player that they still sorely miss two years after his departure.
Despite that, his standing among Everton fans is split. On the one hand, there are those who point to his goalscoring record at the club and consider him a great.
On the other, there are those who believe he was only using the club as a stepping stone and was only ever interested in advancing his career.
Former manager Roberto Martínez is having none of that argument, though, insisting that Lukaku only ever put Everton first during his time on Merseyside.
“Romelu’s strength is that he can always do something different,” he told Gazzetta Dello Sport.
“This is also a disadvantage because there are games where some things fail. He widens the pitch and creates for others.
“If people appreciate these things, even when he doesn’t score, he would be criticised less.
“I invite the fans to re-read his story: at 16 he’d already scored with Anderlecht, then at Everton he was important, getting used to the physicality of the Premier League.
“At that point, always putting the team ahead of himself, he matured.
“Now he is ready to win a title abroad, and I think it’s what he wants to do with Inter. When you put something in your head, you get it.”
