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WASHINGTON. – Romelu Lukaku has rejected suggestions he is a player in the mould of Didier Drogba and insisted he has a long way to go before he reaches his peak.

The Manchester United striker has scored twice during their US tour and is likely to feature in their International Champions Cup clash against Barcelona in Maryland in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Lukaku could end up costing United £90m, Sky Sports News understands, but the Belgium international has been keen to stress he is not a mere clone of Drogba, a player United boss Jose Mourinho managed with great success during his time at Chelsea.

“I am different. Drogba is more of a target man, I am a player that has the ball into feet, who runs in behind,” said Lukaku.

“There are physical similarities but we are totally different players. I am Romelu Lukaku and I want to create my own history.

“He was at Chelsea, I am at Manchester United. That is the difference.”

Lukaku also rejected the notion he is at the same level of Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski, and reiterated his desire to improve as a player at Old Trafford. “I am far from that level but that is where I want to aim,” he said of the comparisons.

“It is all about the team for me, I want the team to win trophies and I will do everybody in my power to make sure the team wins. “There is always room for improvement and I just want to be the best person I can be. I’m 24 years of age, I cannot say I am the complete package, I can’t say I’m in my prime.

“There is still a lot of work to be done and I am delighted there is still a lot of work to be done. That means I can become even better than I am now.”

Lukaku could not turn down the chance to join Manchester United after hearing Mourinho’s plan to “rebuild the club,’’ but he also cautioned that the Old Trafford club aren’t getting a forward at the level of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski or Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo. For much of the summer it had appeared that the 24-year-old was bound to leave Everton for Chelsea, only for United to swoop in.

Mourinho was in charge when Lukaku was given the green light to leave Stamford Bridge, but three years on he now sees the striker as a key piece of the puzzle at Old Trafford.

United forked out an initial £75 million for the Belgium international, whose mind was made up by his manager’s plans rather than the persuasive powers of close friend Paul Pogba.

“We were just on holiday together,’’ Lukaku said of the United and France midfielder, who he was away with in Los Angeles as the move was completed. “At the end of the day I had to make my own choices.

“It was the conversation I had with the manager that really convinced me the most, the plans and how he wanted to rebuild the club and he wanted me to be part of it.

“I am grateful for the chance.’’ Lukaku has big boots to fill following the exit of injured top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the club’s all-time leading marksman Wayne Rooney.

However, the 24-year-old’s impressive ratio for Everton suggests he is ready to step up at Old Trafford — and the striker is clearly raring to go. “It feels great (to be a United player),’’ Lukaku said in Washington. “It is something I always wanted.

“I always wanted to play for a club of this stature. Now I am here I want to take my chance and try to deliver as much as I could for the club. “I don’t want to talk about personal ambitions. I just want to work hard on a daily basis and win as many games as I can.’’

Lukaku has certainly been made to work hard during United’s tour of the United States, training with his new teammates for the first time within an hour of his move being made official.

Mourinho has praised the new boy at nearly every public appearance after a promising start, following up his first goal in a United shirt at Real Salt Lake with another in the 2-0 derby win against Manchester City. “It has gone well for the team,’’ Lukaku said of the build-up to the 2017-18 season. “Everybody is well prepared.

“We are working really hard and delighted to be here and we need to keep going.’’ Lukaku highlighted that his goal was to join a winner, and feels has done that at Old Trafford.

“For me, it’s all about winning,’’ he added. “I want to win and now I’m at a club where winning is the most important thing. “It’s something inside of me, so I just want to win and I want to help my teammates deliver wins game in, game out.

“It’s always been like that. I’ve been a guy who is working to be a pro since I was 11 years old, so I just have a goal to win as many trophies as I can.’’ – Sky Sports-ESPN.