Lukaku UPSETS Chelsea fans again

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 24 May 2023 14:56 BST
• 3 min read

Romelu Lukaku has risked the wrath of Chelsea fans once again after he admitted that he always saw himself potentially returning to Inter Milan.

Lukaku returned to Inter on a one-year loan from Chelsea last summer, with the Nerazzurri paying a loan fee of €8 million plus €4m in add-ons.

This came about after a disastrous 2021-22 season at Stamford Bridge.

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Lukaku had signed for Chelsea from Inter in the summer of 2021 for a club record €115m but endured a miserable season.

He scored just eight Premier League goals, lost his place in the team and was involved in controversy off the pitch as he openly criticised manager Thomas Tuchel and declared he regretted leaving Inter halfway during the campaign.

This upset Chelsea fans, who felt that Lukaku had been disrespectful to them and the club by declaring his love for Inter while he was playing for the Blues.

And Lukaku has further risked upsetting them by admitting that he always saw Inter as a backup plan if his move to Chelsea didn’t work out.

What did Lukaku say?

“I was good at Chelsea last season. But I knew then that if it didn’t work out at Chelsea, I still had Inter,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws.

“When I signed again, I knew: I belong here. I had that too at Anderlecht. I take this club seriously. I want to do my best. The people here see that. Being encouraged here is the best thing there is.”

The future of Lukaku past the end of this season is currently up in the air.

Until recently, Inter were unwilling to keep Lukaku as he endured a dismal first half to the campaign plagued by injuries and poor performances.

But Lukaku has been reborn since the March international break and has been in fantastic form - helping the Nerazzurri to the final of the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

Inter play Fiorentina in the final of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday evening.

Inter are now considering whether to keep Lukaku, and the striker has made it clear he wants to stay.

Incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is a big fan of Lukaku and is reflecting on trying to convince the striker to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea need a new number 9 for 2023-24 and Pochettino believes Lukaku could be the man for the job.

But Lukaku has already made it clear that he only wants Inter.