‘I will boycott Barcelona if they sign Lukaku’

FT Desk

1 May 2022 15:45 BST
3 min read

Outspoken former Real Madrid, Roma and Italy star Antonio Cassano has again caused controversy after remarking that he will boycott Barcelona if they sign Romelu Lukaku.

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Barcelona are in the market to sign a top-class centre forward this summer, with their favoured option being Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.

Over recent days, it has emerged that Chelsea flop Lukaku is also being considered.

Marca states that Barcelona board members Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff have already held talks with Chelsea over a potential transfer for Lukaku and are looking for a solution.

‘I have a lot of money!’ - Why Ronaldo is so angry with Cassano

A loan, in which Barca pay the Blues a fee and take on the player’s wages could be an option, but given that the ex-Manchester United man is one of the highest paid Premier League stars, that could also be complicated.

Nevertheless, Barcelona are a potential escape route for Lukaku who has endured a disastrous season at Chelsea.

Lukaku returned to Chelsea last summer from Inter for a club record €115 million fee.

However, he has scored just five Premier League goals and has lost his place in the first team over recent month.

Despite his past as a Real Madrid player, Cassano is a huge fan of Barca and does not want his favourite team to buy Lukaku.

What did Cassano say about Lukaku?

Former Italian professional, Antonio Cassano on FC Barcelona's rumoured interest in Chelsea forward, Romelu Lukaku#SportsMinute #YSports pic.twitter.com/qSW7BOy5LQ
— YFM KUMASI 🇬🇭 (@y1025fm) May 1, 2022

"I’m in love with Barca’s philosophy, but if they sign Lukaku I won’t watch a game anymore. He can’t play three passes with Chelsea where he has no competition,” Cassano told BoboTV.

“At Barcelona they play 55 passes before going for goal, how could he do it?"

Cassano has been a vocal critic of not only Lukaku but also Cristiano Ronaldo over recent years.

Last month, he said of Ronaldo: “In football, there are not only titles and goals, Zinedine Zidane scored few goals, but he is one of the greatest in history, Juan Riquelme too.

“Goals are useful, titles are useful, but they are not the fundamental things. Cristiano Ronaldo has to pray in the morning and say, ‘Thank you, Benzema, that you played with me.’”