Best Romelu Lukaku Replacements in FPL Ahead of GW9

After twisting his ankle during Chelsea’s Champions League game against Malmo, Romelu Lukaku was taken off in the 23rd minute and this has caused an absolute chaos among FPL managers. He was the second most-bought forward and also a very strong contender for the captaincy armband ahead of Gameweek 9 but the injury blow is now forcing many to look for potential replacements for the Belgian striker. Thomas Tuchel answered some questions after the game regarding the severity of the injury and possible return date: “Romelu twisted his ankle with the foul in the box” and added: ” he will be out for some matches”. Although there are many cheap or mid-priced options that you can transfer in for Lukaku, having at least one premium striker allows you to have more flexibility with your team structure. This article will look at similarly priced forwards you can bring in as a replacement ahead of FPL GW9.

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Romelu Lukaku Replacements in FPL Ahead of GW9

Jamie Vardy (10.6m)

Romelu Lukaku Replacement in FPL ~ Jamie Vardy

	Shots in the box	Big chances	xG	xA	Projected pts
Jamie Vardy	2.66	0.76	0.50	0.14	5.5

Stats are Per 90 from Gameweek 1-8

Jamie Vardy has been in sensational form with 7 goals and 1 assist in 8 games which makes him the 2nd highest FPL points scoring player this season. He has scored at least one goal in each of his last 4 games and is looking very dangerous at the moment despite the fact that Leicester haven’t been performing to their usual standards while sitting at 11th position in the league table. This means that if they potentially find their rhythm as a unit this might benefit Vardy even more who has already established himself as an option to consider.

On the other hand, he has been significantly overperforming his xG and even though this is something that we have seen happening with Vardy in the past seasons, this time it is too extreme of a difference. While taking into account his incredible finishing ability, it is worth noting that some sort of regression might be on the cards at some point.

However, a slight decrease in his goalscoring threat still makes him one of the most clinical forwards in the league and a very good replacement of Lukaku. Most of the shots he has taken this season have come from the box which is a testament on how well he has been able to position himself while averaging 0.76 big chances per 90.

Vardy has decent fixtures especially between GW13 and GW16 when he faces some of the worst defences in the league. Brentford and Arsenal are definitely no pushovers but are also not on the level of the big boys defensively despite the Bees looking solid at the back at the moment. It is also worth mentioning that Leicester’s striker has a great record against teams from the top 4 so it is entirely possible for him to get something from the game against Chelsea.

Further Read: Popular Player Comparisons Ahead of FPL GW9 ~ Kane vs Lukaku vs Vardy

Harry Kane (12.1m)

Romelu Lukaku Replacement in FPL ~ Harry Kane

	Shots in the box	Big chances	xG	xA	Projected pts
Harry Kane	1.29	0.65	0.44	0.24	5.4

Stats are Per 90 from Gameweek 1-8

Harry Kane has had a relatively slow start to his PL campaign and has not been performing at the level that we used to see him in previous seasons. A long EURO run for England that shortened the summer vacation of the striker and also the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo at the start of the season who is yet to develop a consistent playstyle for Spurs might explain to a certain extent why Kane has registered just 1 goal and 1 assist in 6 starts.

He has however been successful in other competitions – the striker has already scored 5 goals in the Europa Conference League group stage. He has been dropping deep to allow faster teammates like Son and Moura to make runs from the wings so you can see him getting a few assist here and there.

As usual, Kane continues to shoot on sight and it is likely that he rediscovers his goalscoring form as he is currently massively underperforming based on his xG. Kane is known for finding his rhythm around this time of the season and with 5.4 projected points per game he looks like a good option to replace Lukaku if you have enough money to go up to the English striker.

The next 3 fixtures for Kane are not the most appealing as away trips to face West Ham and Everton and also a game against Man United can prove to be difficult for Spurs. You might want to reconsider the English forward as an option if you are looking to bring him in as a short-term move. Many are already planning to get a Spurs attacker in GW 12 when they start to face weaker teams. Leeds, Burnley, and Norwich between GW 12 and GW 15 are one of the most promising fixture runs you can get so it might be worth to just bring in Kane early and not book a transfer for later.

Further Read: FPL GW9 Differential Picks to Consider Ahead of Gameweek 9 Deadline

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (9.9m)

Romelu Lukaku Replacement in FPL ~ Aubameyang

	Shots in the box	Big chances	xG	xA	Projected pts
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	1.9	0.35	0.31	0.12	4.8

Stats are Per 90 from Gameweek 1-8

A slightly more risky replacement would be Aubameyang who is owned by just 2.9% of FPL managers. With a price of 9.9Million he can allow you to invest some of the money from Lukaku elsewhere if you are struggling to balance out your team. Arsenal have been able to recover after a poor start of the season with 3 losses in the first 3 games and are now starting to slowly find their rhythm again.

Right then, who needs a Lukaku replacement?

We're here to help! 👇

Here's our top 5 #FPL players to target, based on their odds to score this GW.

1. Aubameyang – 44% to score
2. Ronaldo – 43%
2. Havertz – 43%
2. Edouard – 43%
2. Salah – 43%

Full Odds: https://t.co/okwpuYPeLq pic.twitter.com/SUybwR4B1r
— Drafthound (@drafthound) October 21, 2021

Aubameyang played well last time out against Crystal Palace as he scored 1 goal and grabbed the 3 bonus points for his overall contribution. A relatively low xG for such a price might be a red flag if you are basing your decisions solely on statistics. He is expected to register 4.8 points per game and you might make a case that such a big differential can see you skyrocket through the ranks if your gamble pays off. A short-term punt might be just what you are looking for.

The next 3 fixtures for Aubameyang are okay and especially the home game against Watford in GW 11 looks like a good one to target. A case could be made to bring him in for those 3 games and captain him in GW 11 when there is not an obvious captain among the usual big-hitters. If you are looking for a way to potentially climb up the ranks quickly or just have slightly different team from the template then going for Aubameyang seems like a sensible move.

Further Reads from ALLABOUTFPL Ahead of FPL Gameweek 9:

FPL GW9 Differential Picks to Consider Ahead of Gameweek 9 Deadline
Players in Focus Based on Eye Test Ahead of FPL Gameweek 9
Form & Fixtures Analysis Ahead of FPL GW9 | Team and Players to Target
FPL GW9 Transfer Trends Analysis | Popular Transfer Combinations
Popular Player Comparisons Ahead of FPL GW9 ~ Kane vs Lukaku vs Vardy, James vs Chilwell, Hwang vs Toney vs Armstrong
FPL GW9 Budget Midfielders Analysis | Best Jota And Benrahma Replacements
FPL GW8 Fixture Wise Stats And Eye Test-Based Review

Link to all our FPL Gameweek 9 blogs.

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