Romelu Lukaku is no new to sudden transfer twists, having already caused trouble at Chelsea and Manchester United in the past, forcing his sale.
The Belgian was expected to return to Inter on a permanent transfer but suddenly made himself unavailable for Nerazzurri directors, eventually convincing Beppe Marotta to end negotiations with Chelsea.
Back in 2019, he pushed for a move to Inter from Manchester United, where he no longer felt part of the project. Apparently, that’s the same reason that convinced him not to return to the Stadio Meazza in 2023-24.
Weeks before his first transfer to Inter in 2019, Lukaku was spotted yawning on exercise bikes during training with the Red Devils, openly showing that he lacked the commitment to continue playing at Old Trafford.
He then spent two seasons at Inter under Antonio Conte, but when Chelsea called him back in 2021, he didn’t take long to accept their offer becoming the most expensive signing in the history of the Blues.
Struggles for playing time and tensions with boss Thomas Tuchel in the first part of 2021-22 led to an explosive interview with Sky Sport Italia in December 2021. Lukaku basically admitted that he was wrong to leave Inter and apologised to Nerazzurri fans for the way he left.
During the same interview, he said he would ‘never’ join Milan or Juventus, two of the clubs his lawyer Sebastien Ledure has spoken with this summer.
Inter brought him back on a paid loan deal a year ago. Lukaku ended the season on a high but was never a regular starter in big games, especially the Champions League Final against Manchester City.
Scorer of 14 goals in 37 appearances, Inter were believed to be his primary and only option for 2023-24, but with the Nerazzurri now out of the race, Juventus seem the only European club interested in signing him this summer.