BEVERLY HILLS, June 03, (THEWILL) – In what will be a mixed bag of emotions for football fans across segments of Europe, one of the expected transfer moves this summer was a move from Serie A champions Inter Milan to other clubs interested in his services of Belgian power striker, Romelu Lukaku, who was on the radar of clubs in search of more clinical striker options like Chelsea in the English Premier League.
The mixed sense of gain and loss with the confirmation that came from Lukaku himself that he is staying put in Milan and will be going nowhere this summer was a relieving piece of information for fans of Inter but discouraging for other fans, especially at Stamford Bridge, where expectations were heightened for Lukaku after Inter parted ways with title-winning Antonio Conte.
Lukaku revealed this information to Belgian TV VTM, while squashing any rumors of his Inter departure emphatically. Serie A’s best player of the 2020/21 season was incessantly linked with a series of English clubs with Chelsea UEFA Champions League champions Chelsea featuring prominently.
The 28-year-old put that to rest on very distinctly clear terms without any ambiguity: “I am staying at Inter. I’ve already had contact with the new manager and I feel good at Inter. Maybe I shouldn’t say that yet… but it was a very positive conversation.
“There’s also the challenge of doing it again (winning the league with Inter). Finally I won something, I liked it but I want to do it again. With a full San Siro this time.”
The Belgian striker almost name-dropped the next Inter manager and seemed certain about who will be named as a replacement for Conte. There are discussions that heavily lean towards Inter handing Simone Inzaghi the vacant managerial dugout position but nothing is official yet. Lukaku’s certainty means an announcement is imminent.
What must arouse the pleasure of Nerazzurri fans is that whoever is the manager, Lukaku’s revealing story demonstrates that their main striker is already on the same page with the incoming manager. This is very crucial for the performance of the striker and it was obvious in their trophy run.
The notion of having Lukaku for another ride when the teams return for the commencement of the 2021/2022 season will settle stone-frayed nerves that were disturbed about Inter’s chances of defending their Scudetto as it carried the implication of other team players’ exit and as big-spending clubs were trying to exploit the situation and poach their best players.
The new manager will not be starting from scratch therefore. If other players stay, to weather the storm of COVID-19 enforced austerity measures that made Conte decide to move, then Inter will be title contenders even before the season begins.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
