Romelu Lukaku hints at shocking summer transfer ordeal after joining Roma, expressing displeasure with Chelsea's treatment and undisclosed issues.
Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku has hinted at a shocking summer ordeal after he made a switch to AS Roma having found no place in the Chelsea squad under the new management of Mauricio Pochettino.
Since his move to the Italian capital, the 30-year-old has made an impressive start, netting seven goals in his first eight appearances.
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Lukaku, who had returned from a loan spell with Inter Milan, saw proposed transfers to both Inter and Juventus fall through. He eventually joined AS Roma, managed by Jose Mourinho, after being compelled to train separately from Chelsea's first-team squad.
In an interview with the Daily Mail ahead of Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Austria and Sweden, Lukaku expressed his displeasure without delving into specific details.
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“Most people in this room know me. You know that I don’t like to beat around the bush. If I told you how things really went last summer, everyone would be shocked. There were moments when I felt like I could explode. Now, I am concentrated only on playing football. I worked hard all summer," he said.
The seasoned striker, who previously played for Manchester United, experienced a turbulent summer following a disheartening Champions League final where Inter suffered a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City.
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Lukaku inadvertently blocked a goal-scoring attempt by a teammate and missed a crucial opportunity himself, drawing significant criticism for his performance.
Reflecting on the build-up to the Champions League final, Lukaku alluded to unspecified issues that influenced his decision to not return to Inter Milan permanently. He hinted that these issues played a part in his contemplating a controversial move to Juventus, although he did not elaborate further. “I was a bit uncomfortable after the Champions League final,” he confessed, “But my mind was troubled because of what happened in the days leading up to it. I will talk about that later.”
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During the transfer window, Lukaku also garnered attention from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, joining the ranks of high-profile players targeted by clubs in the Middle East. Despite the lucrative offers, the striker decided to continue his career in European football. “I was honoured by their interest, but after the conversations we had, I was not completely convinced. The league will become one of the biggest in the world, but I didn’t want to leave Europe yet,” Lukaku continued.
In deciding his next move, Lukaku revealed that he considered both his football career and personal experiences in recent years. "I knew full well what was going to happen this summer and there were a few clubs I certainly would not go to," he remarked. “Ultimately, you have to consider what happened in recent years on a football and personal level, which is why I made my choice.”
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Now settled in at Roma and delivering remarkable performances, fans and football enthusiasts await the unfolding of the complete story behind his unexpected yet successful move to the Serie A club.