Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has revealed that Chelsea legend Didier Drogba was his football hero when growing up.
Lukaku has grown into one of the Premier League's best forwards and a big inspiration for the United man was watching Drogba as a child.
"I remember his year at Marseille, even when he was at Guingamp, he'd score amazing goals," Lukaku told beIN Sports.
"Then he went to Marseille and took it to another level. I remember his goal against Newcastle where he went in behind the defence and chopped it behind the leg and hit it in the near post. All the headers, the volleys.
"The older I got the more i got to study his game I got see the guy was a total beast."
Barcelona handed major injury boost ahead of Manchester United fixture
Drogba is renowned as one of the greatest strikers the Premier League has ever seen. He bagged 164 goals in a combined spell of nine years at Chelsea, scoring many crucial goals not to mention the winning penalty in the Champions League final.
He was often a thorn in United's side too, scoring 10 goals in 15 appearances against the Reds.
When Lukaku turned 18 he moved to Chelsea from Anderlecht, being highly touted as Drogba's replacement, but got to be his teammate for a year as well as play with another one of his idols.
The surprising Anthony Martial stat that sees him ranked third among Premier League's top strikers
"I like Anelka as well a lot as a kid, I could never decide between the two of them," he added.
"When I was 18 I was fortunate to play with them and learn from them. At the time it was difficult because I wasn't playing but looking back now, eight years ago, I think it was the best experience I could have had as a young player coming to England."
United fans may well appreciate that Drogba continues to give advice to Lukaku to this day - which can only be of benefit to United.
How Manchester United could line up with transfer targets next season
"They put me next to him [Drogba] in the dressing room and to this day we talk every week before and after every game."
"We talk a lot, because something we did after he left Chelsea and I went to West Brom he wanted to see how I learned from him in the ways that I played and he was really happy with my first year but he always said there is the next game.
"When he's happy he says but when I do something bad he says it as well, always with the main goal of improving and winning trophies because that's the only thing that matters."
Lukaku has already surpassed Drogba's Premier League goal record of 104, but his tally of 113 is 12 away from Anelka's 125.
