Everton

Leon Osman: 'Everton can move on if Romelu Lukaku leaves'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 12 April 2017

Leon Osman believes that Romelu Lukaku is not bigger than Everton and the club will move on if he decides to leave, as they did when Gary Lineker departed Goodison Park.

Leon Osman has claimed that Romelu Lukaku is not bigger than Everton and believes that the club will move on if the Belgian decides to leave.

Lukaku, the Premier League's top scorer this season with 23 goals, has frequently indicated that he wants to play Champions League football and is reported to have turned down a new deal at Goodison Park in March.

Osman, who made 433 appearances for the Toffees over a 14-year professional career, told Sky Sports News: "In an ideal world they'll keep Romelu Lukaku.

"You'll keep the goals he's scoring and you try to build a team around him. You need a good goalscorer to move up the league. You need a guy who's going to score 20 plus goals a season to be near the top and at the moment he's doing that.

"If he was to turn around and say he is leaving and demands to leave, the club will move on. No player is bigger than the club. I met a guy in a cab yesterday who was telling me how Gary Lineker was sold from the club and the club developed and Everton will do that again if Romelu Lukaku leaves."

Lukaku's deal at Everton runs out in 2019, with Chelsea among the clubs said to be interested in his signature.