Why sending Sturridge to Belgium in Lukaku deal is not an option

Some reports today suggest that Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge could be loaned to Belgian club Anderlecht as part of the deal which would see Romelu Lukaku move to Stamford Bridge.

The Daily Mail believes that Andre Villas-Boas is keen on the Belgian youngster and despite publicly saying that he already has a full complement of forwards, he wants Lukaku, who is dubbed the ‘new Didier Drogba, this summer.

Villas-Boas has also spoken of his admiration for the player:

“Lukaku had a magnificent season in Belgium. Let`s wait and see if it becomes a reality or not.”

Lukaku scored 20 goals in all competitions for Anderlecht during the 2010-11 season and many believe that he is ready to make the step up by joining a bigger club in a higher profile league, it’s also a dream of his to play for Chelsea as he is a fan of the west London club.

There are a few conflicting stories out there about the fee for the player, whether it’s around £15m with add-ons or £18m (or even in excess of that), but the fact it could include Sturridge in a loan option seems a little bizarre to me and I do not think it’s move that would appeal to him as he wants to continue making his mark in the Premier League, at Chelsea in particular.

Sturridge has already made his mark in the Premier League when he moved out on loan to Bolton at the end of January and scored eight goals in 12 matches for Owen Coyle’s side and although he had a frustrating time with the England Under-21s this summer, he didn’t disgrace himself in any way and was just unfortunate to be a part of the team that was out of form and short of inspiration.

The 21-year-old has also said this summer that he wants to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge and doesn’t see himself anywhere other than Chelsea at the moment, and I think that asking him to go to Anderlecht would be a bit of an insult and he would see it as a step down.

However, because there’s currently five strikers on the books at Chelsea, it’s inevitable that someone would have to make way if Lukaku was to arrive, but why can it not be someone who doesn’t represent a long-term option and doesn’t have a future at the club, like Nicolas Anelka?

I think this whole Sturridge to Anderlecht rumour is a load of bullshit, but what do you think about the story and what are your opinions on Romelu Lukaku as a prospect?