Lukaku reveals ‘he could have exploded’ at ‘shocking’ transfer saga
Suraj Radia
- 11 Oct 2023 22:55 BST
- 4 min read
Romelu Lukaku has revealed there were moments he ‘could have exploded’ during the summer after his turbulent transfer saga which eventually saw him join Roma on loan.
The 30-year-old spent last season on loan at Inter and was expected to extend his stay with the Champions League finalists but an apparent fall-out with the club saw any transfer fall through.
The deal was further dead in the water when Lukaku opened negotiations with rivals Juventus, which prompted Inter legend Javier Zanetti to claim the club were ‘betrayed’ by the striker.
READ MORE: Lukaku accused of 'betrayal' by Zanetti
Speaking while on international duty with Belgium, Lukaku refused to elaborate on the specifics, insisting the time was not right, but claimed ‘everyone would be shocked’ by the truth behind the speculation.
“Most people in this room know me. You know that I don’t like to beat around the bush,” Lukaku said. “I will speak when the time is right, but if I told you how things really went last summer, everyone would be shocked.
“There were moments when I felt like I could explode and five years ago I probably would’ve done,” he added. “I was a bit uncomfortable after the Champions League Final, but my mind was troubled because of what happened in the days leading up to it. I will talk about that later.”
Lukaku ‘honoured’ by Saudi interest
Lukaku struggled to find a club until deadline day when he left Chelsea for Roma, with the forward agreeing to slash his wages to push a transfer through in exchange for a buyout clause of £37 million.
While Juve and Inter were unable to strike a deal with Chelsea, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal were keen on signing Lukaku but the player rejected a move, however he admitted he was ‘honoured’ by the interest despite not being keen on the switch.
🇧🇪 Romelu Lukaku since September 1st:
🏟️ 9 games
⚽️ 7 goals
👟 2 assists
New life @ AS Roma, key player for José Mourinho. pic.twitter.com/d5yp1UUFwL— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 5, 2023
“I was honoured by their interest, but after the conversations we had, I was not completely convinced,” Lukaku said. “The league will become one of the biggest in the world, but I didn’t want to leave Europe yet.
“I knew full well what was going to happen this summer and there were a few clubs I certainly would not go to. Ultimately, you have to consider what happened in recent years on a football and personal level, which is why I made my choice.”
REVEALED: Lukaku's asking price at Chelsea
“I don’t like to talk too much off the field, but sometimes it’s good to tell people what really happened and what didn’t. I will one day, but not now because I want to keep the focus on my football. When I say things, they are taken out of context and I don’t want that right now.”
