Romelu Lukaku has vowed to work harder than ever to earn a place in the first team under new manager Jose Mourinho, after the Belgian’s future was subject to speculation due to Chelsea’s transfer ambitions to buy the best strikers in the world.

Mourinho’s arrival at the club has brought a new challenge for the existing players, and that is, to be in the starting eleven come August. The Barclays Premier League is undoubtedly the most intense competition in the world, and Mourinho will know from his first stint that nothing but the best can win the title. Youngsters like Lukaku, Ryan Bertrand and Kevin de Bruyne have to live up to the expectations, and as they grow in age, they will have to balance their demand for first team football, and gain maximum exposure as players.

Lukaku has been exceptional during his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion, and was one of the deadliest strikers in the league last season. The striker has had to work hard on his style of play, which was termed as a slightly lazy one when he first arrived at the club. However, the move to West Brom changed everything, and the powerful 20-year old proved all doubters wrong, giving Chelsea a rejuvenated youngster with great potential.

When signed in August 2011 by then Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas for an initial fee of £10 million, expectations were high from him. However, there was no scope of regular first-team action for the youngster due to the stature of a certain Didier Drogba, who lead the attack for the Blues.

Having scored 14 goals this season for the side managed by former Blues coaching member Steve Clark, West Brom officials were convinced by the performances of the striker, and wished to have him on loan again next season. However, Roman Abramovich and Chelsea supporters were more than delighted to welcome him back at the club, to be guided further by Mourinho.

According to Metro, Lukaku spoke about how he would transform his game, from that of a youngster, to that of a mature professional.

Lukaku said, “‘I will train every single part of my body to be twice as good as last year,”

“Stronger, faster, bring more quality into my game just to be as deadly as the great masters of the game.”

“It will be hard but when you work hard you play hard. Season 13-14 is the season when I stop playing like a boy and will play as a man.”