How Roberto Martinez came back to haunt Swansea City at Everton - Man Utd stole potential Swans windfall | OneFootball

Swansea City were close to signing a striker who Everton eventually sold for £75 million.

Roberto Martinez is well-liked at Swansea City, as the Spanish boss laid down the foundations for what would become a very successful period for the Welsh side.

Martinez helped the Swans win the 2007/08 League One title in his first full season in charge of the club, before finishing eighth in their first season back in the second tier the following year.

In the end, Wigan Athletic plucked him from Swansea to the Premier League in the summer of 2009, but it wasn't long before Martinez's former side joined him in the top flight.

He helped kickstart Swansea's seven-year stay in the top flight, which also included some European nights after an EFL Cup-winning 2012/13 campaign.

In the summer ahead of their Europa League campaign, the Swans were looking to bolster their side under Michael Laudrup, and outlined a few solid striker options for the Danish boss.

One was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who declined the chance to join due to wanting Champions League football, which he received at Borussia Dortmund that window.

Romelu Lukaku almost joined Swansea City until Everton swooped in

The other was Romelu Lukaku, who had just turned 20 and was coming off the back of a 17-goal Premier League campaign at West Brom, which included a hat-trick against Manchester United on the final day.

The Belgian forward returned to Chelsea, and with European nights to look forward to, the Welsh side thought they were in pole position to land his services.

However, it was an old familiar face who swooped in and took him away, as Roberto Martinez managed to sign Lukaku for his Everton side that summer. And given the amount they were able to sell him to Manchester United for in 2017, there'll always be questions surrounding what would have happened if Swansea were able to bring him in.

Wales Online's piece on Swansea transfer targets who fell by the wayside stated that the Welsh side were confident in bringing a then-20-year-old Lukaku to the Liberty Stadium back in 2013.

Indeed, it was Lukaku himself who confirmed he'd be staying at Chelsea for the time being during the summer of 2013, despite then-Swans boss Michael Laudrup wanting to bring him to the Liberty Stadium as Swansea's ground was then known.

With European nights to look forward to, people in the club felt that they had the edge over West Ham United in a deal, and whilst they may have been ahead of the Hammers in the pecking order, they weren't able to beat out Everton, led at the time by their former boss, Roberto Martinez.

The Toffees brought him in on an initial season-long loan for the 2013/14 campaign, where he continued his scoring antics from the campaign before, netting 15 in his debut season at Goodison Park, helping Martinez's side to a fifth-placed finish and, annoyingly for Swansea fans, Europa League football.

Everton would sign him permanently in the summer of 2014 for £28 million, and whilst the Swans finished in the top half the following season (eighth), they had to watch on agonisingly as Lukaku scored eight in nine during his debut Europa League campaign for the club - something they felt they should have been seeing the year prior.

Even worse was the fact that Lukaku would go from strength to strength in an Everton shirt, scoring 43 league goals across the following two campaigns, whilst Swansea would start to slide down the Premier League table.

In the summer of 2017, Everton sold Lukaku to Manchester United for £75 million. Come the following May, Swansea would end up relegated back to the Championship, and have yet to make their return to the Premier League since.

There's always a 'What if?' surrounding Swansea City and Romelu Lukaku

Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Lazio - San Siro, Milan, Italy - April 30, 2023 Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku reacts REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo

An average few years, particularly his second and final season at Manchester United, will ultimately not detract from an impressive career CV for Romelu Lukaku once it's all said and done.

But would things have changed if it were Swansea, not Everton, who he moved to in 2013? There are plenty of scenarios which could have played out.

Firstly, if the Swans were able to use Lukaku's goals to string a few extra seasons in Europe together, the Welsh side could still be plying their trade in the Premier League today.

Also, there are questions to be asked about what would have happened if, indeed, it were Swansea who pocketed the cash windfall in 2017, if Lukaku had still developed and been sold at the same rate.

Speaking at the time, Michael Laudrup said: "We asked about him. I didn't call again because Chelsea said they wanted to keep him, but maybe I should have called again."

It's all if, buts and maybe's in this scenario, but it's definitely interesting to think about what could have happened if Laudrup had picked up that phone and called Chelsea again regarding Lukaku's availability.