Degryse and Defour warn about Lukaku's problem at Fenerbahçe

In the illuminated Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Romelu Lukaku, a 33‑year‑old striker for Fenerbahçe, stared at the empty bench while he still has not scored a goal in his first eight official matches. The Belgian attacker, who moved from Napoli to Turkey last summer, received only a few minutes of playing time, causing concerns about his output to rise.

Limited minutes with the Red Devil

With the Red Devil, Lukaku got only ten minutes against Italy and was on the bench against France. Analysts express growing concerns about his role in the national team. The lack of playing time makes his future with Belgium uncertain.

“Barely ten minutes against Italy, not even subbed in against France. The football that Van Bommel wants to play requires a lot of energy,” noted Marc Degryse.

Defour calls for more action

Steven Defour stated that Lukaku now must be able to fulfil the role physically. “He urgently needs to start getting more minutes at Fenerbahçe, otherwise he really has a problem,” said Defour in FC Limburg. Defour suspects that Lukaku could earn a starting place against Turkey on Friday.

Van Bommel must choose, Lukaku does not like this

Lukaku signed a one‑year contract with an option for an additional year after moving from Napoli to Fenerbahçe. After eight official appearances he has yet to score a goal. The Turkish club is therefore considering a possible winter solution, including the American striker Folarin Balogun from AS Monaco.

If Lukaku does not manage to raise his level in the coming months, Fenerbahçe could in January move to a pursuit of Balogun. The 25‑year‑old American international is currently under contract with AS Monaco. A continuation of the current situation would force the club to make a swift decision.

The combination of club and national‑team problems puts pressure on the 33‑year‑old striker, while both Fenerbahçe and the Red Devil are looking for a solution. How quickly Lukaku gets more playing time could be decisive for his reputation and future contracts.