Tuchel finally reveals how many goals he wants Lukaku to score before Christmas
Thomas Tuchel has joked that he expects Romelu Lukaku to score 50-60 goals for Chelsea before Christmas.
The striker has a fine goalscoring record across his former clubs and will be hoping to continue this on his return to Chelsea.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Arsenal on Sunday, Tuchel was questioned about his expectations regarding Lukaku.
When asked about his targets for the striker, Tuchel laughed: “(I expect) 50, 60 (goals)… before winter!”
The German went on to discuss the impact that he expects from the forward ahead of his potential debut against Arsenal this weekend.
Tuchel confirmed: “We expect an impact, let’s see. We expect goals, he himself expects goals. He delivered goals everywhere he played. This is why he’s here. He’s a big personality in the dressing room.”
The manager went on to discuss how Lukaku won’t just provide goals for the Blues, but will also benefit his teammates as the German said: “I’m absolutely convinced he will have a very positive impact on Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, the guys that play in and around him.
“He will open spaces and attract focus from the defenders. Let’s see how we will measure in the end. We and he demand goals, that’s obvious. I have gotten to know him better and better. Maybe we will set a clear target later in the season.”
The Blues face Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, with Lukaku expected to make his debut.