Romelu Lukaku

[qb4ever_2k]

Inter did everything in their power to avoid Lukaku leaving, says agent

Romelu Lukaku completed a move to Chelsea on Thursday but Inter did their best to retain the prolific striker.

Inter boss Simone Inzaghi and CEO Giuseppe Marotta did everything in their power to prevent Romelu Lukaku from rejoining Chelsea, according to the striker's agent.

Lukaku completed his return to Stamford Bridge on Thursday for a reported club-record fee of £97.5million (€115m), seven years after sealing a permanent move from the Blues to Everton.

The Belgium international has spent the previous two seasons with Inter and fired the Nerazzurri to their first title in more than a decade in 2020-21, scoring 24 goals in the Italian top flight.

He has been criticised by Inter fans for moving on, with accusations of chasing a bigger salary, but Federico Pastorello, who represents Lukaku, responded to those claims in a long statement posted via social media on Friday.

"The narrative – that Lukaku's transfer was 'engineered' and 'forced' just to pander to financial interests – is leading everyone absolutely astray," Pastorello wrote.

"Lukaku has never publicly expressed any unease or discontent about his experience at Inter, his contractual situation or the well-known events of the club.

"The interest of Chelsea really touched Romelu's soul from the very first moment, because that club means to him something unique and special.

"In recent days I have seen a video from 2009 in which the 16-year-old visited the Stamford Bridge stadium with his school and swore that one day he would play on that pitch.

"I recommend everyone to watch it carefully: it's impressive how clearly a 16-year-old boy was already drawing his future.

"He wanted to wear that shirt, he succeeded when he was only 18 and unfortunately he left before he could make his mark and win something important.

"The challenge remained like a bug in his heart and mind for all these years. When, almost unexpectedly, the opportunity to try again came up – at the age of 28 after two seasons as a main player with Inter – he almost didn't believe it.

"It was a chance to come full circle and being the exemplary professional that he is, he decided it was time to accept that challenge again.

"Believe it or not, the supporters' affection and the special bond with the city of Milan made him think about it for a long time. But then, once he made his decision, he carried on with conviction and firmness."

Lukaku is the second big-name player from last season's title-winning squad to move on, following Achraf Hakimi heading to Paris Saint-Germain, while Lautaro Martinez continues to be linked with an exit.

Inter's financial struggles have been well documented, with former head coach Antonio Conte also moving on during the close season, but not everyone at the club wanted to cash in on Lukaku.

"With regards to Inter, I can guarantee that the CEO Giuseppe Marotta, the sporting director Piero Ausilio and coach Simone Inzaghi did everything in their power to avoid this," Pastorello said.

"But there are circumstances that go beyond their decision-making range and depend on the instructions of the owners."

Lukaku scored 64 goals in his two years at San Siro and is the only player across the past 15 seasons to record 20 or more goals and reach 10 assists in a single Serie A campaign.

As well as ending Inter's long wait for Scudetto glory, he also scored seven goals in six games in their run to the Europa League final in 2019-20.

Pastorello added: "I conclude my thought with a reflection on that day two years ago when Romelu Lukaku signed for Inter.

"At that time many of those who today insult me and threaten me, thanked me wholeheartedly for bringing him to Milan.

"If they had told you: 'Romelu, after scoring more than 60 goals in two seasons, bringing the club back to the top with his team-mates, playing in the Europa League final and winning the Italian league title that has been missing since 2010, being named MVP of the Europa League and Serie A, will leave the Nerazzurri bringing into the club finances a record sum for the Italian football market', what would you have done?"

TLDR every one good, fuck suning.

 

[CafeCordoba]

h.grimes is back in Twitter and oh boy does she had a lot of stuff regarding Lukaku and Chelsea already at the end of May. I started following that account only in July and didn't all that stuff from here in June and May (and earlier).

https://twitter.com/es_grimes

She's got quite some stuff right way before any respectable journos got a hold of those.

With Lukaku she's basically claiming we were selling him already in May because of our financial troubles. Lukaku and Chelsea had personal terms agreed already at the end of May. If Lukaku knew all that and it was not Pastorello preparing stuff behind his back just for the case the sale is gonna happen, I have to reconsider Lukaku's behaviour in the summer. Talking about staying at Inter, posting those "back to home" stuff in his vacation and shit.

This is of course just a Twitter account but she's got so much stuff well before the shit happened. She mentioned Inter and Dumfries already in 19th of June.

 

[Il Drago]

I don't have the slightest issue with this deal. Great deal from a financial point of view for everyone, both the club and the player, and i believe Lukaku had reached his peak at Inter so this was the best time to sell him. The timing is shitty but you can't have it all.

But let's face it. This guy talks lots of bullshit. Proclaiming himself king of Milano (a king doesn't abandon his kingdom), claiming he only wanted to join Inter while he had agreed terms with Juve beforehand, his famous quotes about Inter and Adriano, stating he would stay at Inter countless times only to abandon ship in August etc. But many players do that so none of it would matter to me. But the fact he hasn't even made a fucking post about his departure from Inter has really pissed me off. Everyone does it, from the most important to the least important player of any club. It's simply a class act. Freaking Icardi thanked Inter and the fans despite everything that happened. Joao fucking Mario made a post to thank Inter but this guy, who claimed he loved the club and the fans, doesn't even bother making a fucking post about his departure from the club but instead he lets his agent do the "dirty" work.

Thank you for everything Lukaku and good luck at Chelsea but seriously fuck off with all the bs you said while at Inter.

 

[Universe]

The only three players who would refuse such offers are the Italian players and Handanovic.

Ranocchia, D’Ambrosio and Cordaz? Great core to build on

Jokes aside I don’t know what half the fuss is about.

 

[Mr-Intermilan]

h.grimes is back in Twitter and oh boy does she had a lot of stuff regarding Lukaku and Chelsea already at the end of May. I started following that account only in July and didn't all that stuff from here in June and May (and earlier).

https://twitter.com/es_grimes

She's got quite some stuff right way before any respectable journos got a hold of those.

With Lukaku she's basically claiming we were selling him already in May because of our financial troubles. Lukaku and Chelsea had personal terms agreed already at the end of May. If Lukaku knew all that and it was not Pastorello preparing stuff behind his back just for the case the sale is gonna happen, I have to reconsider Lukaku's behaviour in the summer. Talking about staying at Inter, posting those "back to home" stuff in his vacation and shit.

This is of course just a Twitter account but she's got so much stuff well before the shit happened. She mentioned Inter and Dumfries already in 19th of June.

 

[IM21]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1426847392813432836

https://twitter.com/x/status/1426848550055464961

 

[brehme1989]

Chance of a lifetime to join fucking Chelsea. What a joke

 

[bubba zanetti]

Fuck him and Chelski.

 

[brehme1989]

Fuck him and Chelski.

Adriano rejected Real Madrid to stay at Inter, and playing for Real Madrid (and with Ronaldo) was his football dream!

How can you be a (self proclaimed) king at Inter and want to play for fucking Chelsea

Just say it's unfinished business and stop making a fool out of yourself signor Romelu.

His stupid shit combined with Suning's inability cost us Hakimi... Hopefully we can salvage something here, won't be missed. Maybe his fanboys will be upset and imagine he'd score goals when it matters in game we won't due to goldfish memory, but whatever, they can sleep on it.

 

[Shark]

Why are you getting emotional over this brehme?

 

[brehme1989]

Why are you getting emotional over this brehme?

What's emotional about that?

I'm just commenting on how ridiculous his stance is and how it hurts whatever image he had at this club.

He can join the list of Chelsea legends along with Drogba, Zola, Lampard and Terry. If he doesn't mentally crumble...

Inter's immensely grander pantheon doesn't have a spot for this guy.

 

[Shark]

Looks to be a standard case of a player thanking an old club. You seem quite worked up for no reason over something normal, calling out "fanboys" and what not.

 

[brehme1989]

Looks to be a standard case of a player thanking an old club. You seem quite worked up for no reason over something normal, calling out "fanboys" and what not.

He plays for Inter and says it's a "chance of a lifetime" to join freaking Chelsea.
No, it's not a standard case. He could have said whatever the fuck he wants about his new club and what he dreamt before crapping his pants at kindergarten, but not in the farewell.

 

[Shark]

He plays for Inter and says it's a "chance of a lifetime" to join freaking Chelsea.
No, it's not a standard case. He could have said whatever the fuck he wants about his new club and what he dreamt before crapping his pants at kindergarten, but not in the farewell.

Dude you need to chill

 

[NimAraya]

I'm really trying hard to give a shit about what this guy or anyone else say about Inter, but I can't.

Whatever Big Rom. Thx for your service here. Have fun at Chelsea.

 

[Gaindé]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1426847392813432836

https://twitter.com/x/status/1426848550055464961

Is he still going with his interista shtick? You're at Chelsea dude, stop pretending, it's fine.

 

[CafeCordoba]

Okay after these comments from Lukaku it is evident for me it was himself pushing the deal. Well that is still fine, no problem. But please with the "coming home" BS at the end of July.

Il Drago said it already, he did amazing job here, was a leader and took this place as his home. But really the talks were a bit too much about staying at Inter when they were already talking with Chelsea behind the scenes.

I mean, again, I don't have hard feelings over this transfer at all, but those talks while you KNOW you might go to your dream club (how the fuck can Chelsea be your dream club but whatever) is a bit too rich.

 

[wera]

I might be with Brehme if it wasn't widely known that Inter is dead ass broke and need money. Clearly this is the easiest way to earn money, sell your best players. We don't want to see it, but it happened before. It's all about how Inter can pick themselves up in the next two seasons.

What players say is unimportant. We'll see if he'll still be on our dick when he stops playing football.

 

[.h.]

at least we've learned the lessons of the treble, tbh

 

[brehme1989]

What players say is unimportant. We'll see if he'll still be on our dick when he stops playing football.

It does matter. For the fanbase.
I personally don't give a fuck about Lukaku's words or gestures, either as an Inter player or now that he's gone. Same applies to all current and former players.

But it's annoying as fuck to see fans ride players' ***** and make heroes out of them just because they bite on this nonsense.

Hopefully this is a lesson to all the fans who fell for this crap.

From the current players the only ones that I have absolutely no reservations are Handanovic and Skriniar, while Barella is the only other player that can be considered, perhaps this season will show this. And I wish the same will apply with Bastoni over time.