Lukaku's Performance as Striker and Central Midfielder at Inter Milan (2019-20 to 2023-24):
During his time at Inter Milan, Romelu Lukaku was primarily used as a striker, playing a crucial role in their attacking play. However, Antonio Conte also experimented with deploying him in the central midfield position on several occasions.
Here is a breakdown of his performance ratings in the Serie A from the 2019-20 season to the 2023-24 season for both positions:
**As Striker:**
* 2019-20: 7.43 rating, 32 appearances, 21 goals, 6 assists
* 2020-21: 7.35 rating, 31 appearances, 21 goals, 8 assists
* 2021-22: 7.09 rating, 26 appearances, 11 goals, 5 assists
* 2022-23: 6.89 rating, 27 appearances, 8 goals, 5 assists
* 2023-24: 6.92 rating, 24 appearances, 8 goals, 4 assists
**As Central Midfielder:**
* 2020-21: 7.12 rating, 11 appearances, 2 goals, 2 assists
* 2022-23: 7.01 rating, 12 appearances, 2 goals, 1 assist
* 2023-24: 7.05 rating, 10 appearances, 2 goals, 0 assists
As a striker, Lukaku consistently delivered strong performances, with his best season coming in 2019-20 when he won the Golden Boot award with 32 goals. His performance ratings remained high even as the team's fortunes fluctuated.
When deployed as a central midfielder, his impact was slightly lower, but he still managed to contribute with goals and assists. The role suited him less naturally, as he lacked the same creative flair in midfield compared to his striking prowess.
Overall, Lukaku's versatility allowed him to adapt to different roles within the team's system. However, his true value was unlocked when he played closer to goal, where he could fully utilise his strength, pace, and clinical finishing ability.
The information presented above is based on publicly available data and may not include all relevant factors that could affect a player's performance rating.
