Everton forward Romelu Lukaku believes he is one of the best strikers in world football.
The £28 million signing from Chelsea plundered 25 goals in an otherwise difficult campaign for the Blues, sealing a place in Belgium’s for this month’s European Championships as a result.
Lukaku, who has expressed a strong desire to leave Goodison Park before the start of the 2016/17 season, failed to net in any of his last 10 games for the Toffees and saw a crucial penalty saved in the FA Cup semi-final defeat against Manchester United.
But the wantaway Belgian declared himself happy with his 2015/16 yield and insisted he is now among the best players in his position in the world.
“I’m among the best. That’s good,” he said in an interview World Soccer magazine.
“Personally I am happy. I did expect to to produce a season of this calibre.”
Lukaku’s Belgium are set for a Group E encounter with Ireland on June 18, and the 23-year-old hitman admitted that he was excited at the prospect of facing Blues teammates Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and Aiden McGeady in France.
“They are happy to be going to France and warn me that they are going to make life difficult for us. I jokily reply that we won’t be easy meat.
“It comes up a lot in the dressing room. Even though our focus is on the Premier League, it’s not been great for Everton and that’s the main topic of conversation.”
Fancied Belgium start their bid for European Championship glory with a tricky game against Italy on June 13, with the Everton forward in line to lead the Diables Rouges attack for the crunch opener.