'Romelu Lukaku Is At The SAME Level As Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema And Erling Haaland'

Inter Milan star Romelu Lukaku has been hailed in the same high-level bracket of strikers as the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema and Erling Haaland.

That is according to Belgium legend Enzo Scifo, who has praised Lukaku for his impact at the Italian side.

Lukaku, 27, left Manchester United in 2019 to complete a sensational £74m move to the San Siro.

The Belgian striker has become an instrumental figure in Antonio Conte's side as Inter edge closer to capturing the Serie A title this season.

Lukaku has scored an impressive 27 times and registered eight assists in 40 appearances for Inter this season.

Scifo, who endured an ill-fated spell with Inter in the late 1980s, has suggested that Conte was the "right man at the right time for [Lukaku's] maturity."

And the 55-year-old former Anderlecht star insisted that Lukaku is in the same elite bracket as the likes of Benzema, Lewandowski and Haaland.

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Scifo told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport: "To think that at the time [2019] he was heavily criticised here.

"He was accused of lacking technique and being wasteful in front of goal, but I always knew he was a star due to his power and how he uses his left foot.

"He had to come to Italy to improve himself and luckily for him it happened, in a strong team and with a demanding coach.

"Find me another player as decisive as him. I knew he would score 30 goals a season.

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"Conte was the right man at the right time for his maturity. He saw him, wanted him and immediately said, 'He is my man.' He could not have found a better coach and vice versa.

"For me, he is at the level of Haaland, Lewandowski and Benzema. If Belgium win anything, they owe it to him.

"His strength is always knowing how to react to difficult moments, always looking for the next goal. Now he is in top form."

Inter lead defending Italian champions Juventus by 13 points with five matches remaining in the league.

Conte's men, who are 11 points clear of second-place Atalanta, will return to action on Saturday against Crotone at the Stadio Ezio Scida.

Topics: Football, Robert Lewandowski, Serie A, Erling Haaland, Romelu Lukaku, Karim Benzema, Italy, Inter Milan

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

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