Romelu Lukaku has faced fresh criticism over his physical condition after his summer move to Fenerbahce, with Turkish pundits questioning his fitness and form. The former Manchester United striker, who joined the Istanbul club as a free agent after leaving Napoli, has been accused of being overweight and out of shape.
Pundits Question Lukaku's Condition
Following Fenerbahce's 6-0 Europa League defeat to Aston Villa, in which Lukaku only came on for the final 20 minutes at 4-0, former Besiktas coach Sinan Engin did not hold back. "Lukaku, aren't you ashamed? Don't you ever look in a mirror?" Engin said. "My advice: stop eating anything after 6pm because you're putting on weight. Get yourself a nutritionist and a personal trainer."
He added: "How did Lukaku score all those goals? Is this really the right Lukaku who came? You can't fool us."
Former Fenerbahce player Semih Senturk was less harsh but expressed disappointment: "I expected a lot from Lukaku, but it's very disappointing. What's going to happen if he plays three or four matches in a row?"
History of Weight Issues
During his two-year spell at Old Trafford, Lukaku once shocked staff by returning for pre-season 9lbs above his ideal weight and was soon sold to Inter Milan. There were similar concerns during his time at Napoli under Antonio Conte, who reportedly ordered him to shed 20lbs.
Another ex-Fenerbahce player, Tumer Metin, blamed Lukaku for Belgium's so-called 'Golden Generation' failing to win a major trophy, although the 33-year-old has scored 94 goals in 135 appearances for his country.
Club's Warning and First Goal
Fenerbahce had warned that it would take time for Lukaku to regain peak fitness following his free-agent move. Sporting director Oguz Cetin said at the time: "We should not expect miracles from Lukaku in the short term. Steps must be taken to make him stronger. We will work on improving his physical condition. His integration into the team will be visible within four to six weeks."
Lukaku went some way to silencing his critics by scoring his first goal for the club after starting Sunday's 3-0 victory over Alanyaspor. The result left the Istanbul side third in the Super Lig, three points behind leaders and bitter rivals Galatasaray.
The win eased the pressure on head coach Ismail Karta, who has faced calls to be sacked. Fenerbahce host Slavia Prague in the Europa League on Tuesday before a crucial visit to Galatasaray on Monday.
