Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku accused of ‘BETRAYAL’
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 9 Aug 2023 07:55 BST
- 3 min read
Inter Milan have launched another fierce attack on the integrity of Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, with the Nerazzurri claiming that he has “betrayed” them.
Inter chased a deal for Lukaku this summer for what would have been the forward’s third spell at the club.
He fired them to Serie A success with 24 goals in the 2020/21 season, which was the second successive season he had netted 20 goals in Serie A. After being sold to Chelsea for €113 million the following summer, he was begging to return to San Siro just a matter of months later and ultimately completed a loan in 2022.
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Although Lukaku bagged just 10 goals in the league last term, Inter had been pushing to re-sign him permanently until it became evident that he was holding transfer talks with arch-rivals Juventus behind the club’s back.
At this point, the Nerazzurri cut off contact with the No.9, with fans livid at the behaviour of the 30-year-old.
Now sporting director Javier Zanetti has moved to admonish the striker in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Lukaku has betrayed us. We’re very disappointed,” he frankly admitted. “We expected completely different behaviour by Romelu, as professional but also as a man.”
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Lukaku in the headlines as Inter explore transfer alternatives
The quote has made front page news in Italy, where Gazzetta have run it across their cover, highlighting the depth of frustration that the club feel towards a player who was once their hero.
Inter have admitted that instead of Lukaku, they are ready to move for Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun, yet the Gunners’ asking price could prove to be too lavish for them.
Other avenues are being explored, with the latest reports suggesting they could launch a transfer bid for Porto striker Mehdi Taremi, who was a player linked to Manchester United briefly earlier in the transfer window.
