In recent days, rumors linking the Belgian legend and striker Romelu Lukaku with a move to New York City FC have gained momentum. However, no formal offer has been submitted so far.
Still, there may be a window of opportunity that the MLS club can take advantage of to sign the current Napoli forward.
Recently, Nicolás Fernández Mercau's desire to leave the Pigeons became public. At the same time, the club reportedly rejected a very strong offer for the center forward.
If you think about it, a transfer like that could open the door for Lukaku's arrival.
Fernández Mercau’s departure could open the door for Lukaku’s arrival
Let's go step by step to explain this situation. First, for Lukaku to arrive, there would need to be an offer or serious consideration of the striker.
For now, there is nothing like that. However, that does not prevent us from analyzing how a window could open for the arrival of the forward who played for Belgium at the 2026 World Cup and scored against the USMNT.
First of all, making a deal for Mercau, rounding the $18 million figure, is a must. You bought him for 8 million, and someone is offering more than double what you paid.
That leads to the next step. If you sell your striker, you free up a spot for Lukaku to arrive, since that position would become vacant for the Belgian veteran to fill.
On top of having no competition for the role, being guaranteed playing time could also influence the striker's decision. At this stage of his career, Lukaku is looking for minutes, and he will go to the team that can offer them.
The other thing the Pigeons must take into account is Lukaku’s salary. However, taking into account the number they would pay for the Argentine striker, you would also have enough financial flexibility to complete the deal and pay his salary without any problems.
Although Lukaku’s salary expectations would probably be significant, they are well within reach. The funds from Mercau’s potential sale would provide more than enough financial flexibility to accommodate his demands.
That’s why it makes sense for the Pigeons to sell Mercau. Now, be careful. This deal could happen only if the former Manchester United player is on board with a transfer to the MLS.
If not, you can’t sell your best striker until you solve the replacement issue. And one could assume NYCFC rejected the recent offer because they couldn’t find a replacement for Mercau.
Just remember, this analysis is hypothetical because no formal offer has been reported.
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