Romelu Lukaku lifts lid on acrimonious Chelsea exit

Updated: 08 Mar, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Romelu Lukaku lifts lid on acrimonious Chelsea exit

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Romelu Lukaku has revealed he was forced to change in the youth dressing rooms at the end of his nightmare second spell at Chelsea.

The 31-year-old joined Chelsea from Inter Milan for a record fee of £97.5 million back in 2021 - seven years after initially leaving Stamford Bridge.

However, his return to West London proved to be disastrous, as after a positive start, he fell out of favour as a result of a bombshell interview whereby he revealed he was unhappy.

Inter welcomed Lukaku back on a loan deal the following summer but talks over a permanent transfer broke down in 2023.

The former Manchester United striker eventually joined AS Roma on loan for the 2023/24 campaign before signing for Napoli on a permanent deal last August.

READ MORE: Romelu Lukaku names one match that left him 'crying every day'

Now, seven months on from his exit, Lukaku told Corriere dello Sport about what happened in his final months at Chelsea.

I wasn't alone. [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and [Hakim] Ziyech were also out of Chelsea's project. They made us change in the youth team's locker room.

That's the business. The club says they don't want you anymore and decides when and often where you'll end up.

But if you want to leave, even for serious reasons, you don't have the option. They drag it out until the last moment, they wear you down.

Lukaku, who has scored 85 goals in 120 caps for Belgium, has also accused the Blues of trying to tarnish his image in the media.

Clubs have relationships with the media, and it doesn't take much to put a player in a difficult position or create the wrong image. Believe me, I've seen things I never thought I would.

One day, I'd like to explain all of this to younger players, who is really working for them and who is working against them.

Lukaku also hit back at the repeated accusations regarding his work ethic which plagued his time in the Premier League.

In England, they had the wrong perception. To them, I was lazy.

I never reacted to the attacks, to the criticism. I speak very little, I just do my job and then go home to my kids.

In Italy, the judgment has flipped 180 degrees. Here, I'm seen as a hard worker.

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