Romelu Lukaku Aims Subtle Dig at Chelsea As He Hints at Inter Milan Stay

• Romelu Lukaku has once again expressed his desire to remain at Inter Milan beyond this season
• The striker is still a Chelsea player, having joined on a long-term deal in 2021
• He recently hit good form after initially struggling at Milan

Romelu Lukaku has taken a swipe at Chelsea by appearing to claim that a part of him knew that it might never work out in London.

Lukaku rejoined Chelsea in 2021 for a big-money move from Inter Milan in a deal that ended up backfiring badly for both parties.

Chelsea had just won the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel, but the feeling was rife that they still needed a proven striker to compete evenly in the Premier League.

Having won the Scudetto in Italy, Lukaku arrived with a lot of promise, looking to steer Chelsea to the next level. He had a dream start in the Premier League, scoring in his first two games, before things turned sour.

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Lukaku's poor relationship with Chelsea

Fitness issues kept him out of Tuchel's team, before he conducted an unauthorised interview where he criticised Tuchel's instructions. The new Chelsea owners then decided that it was best for Lukaku to return to Italy for a season-long loan.

The Belgian has now expressed interest in staying with the Nerrazurri beyond this season.

"I was good at Chelsea last season. But I knew then that if it didn’t work out at Chelsea, I still had Inter. When I signed again, I knew: I belong here. I take this club seriously. I want to do my best. The people here see that. Being encouraged here is the best thing there is," he said, as quoted by 90 MIN.

He signed a five-year contract at Chelsea, which means the Blues and the incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino will play a big role in deciding where he plays.

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At the moment, the 30-year-old is focused on the Champions League final, where Manchester City will play Inter Milan on June 10.

Lukaku-Pochettino partnership

Lukaku's hint about his future comes after Inter Milan confirmed he will return to Chelsea at the end of the summer, though the possibility of a return is not ruled out.

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be the club's fourth manager since his departure. The Argentine is an admirer of the Belgian and will reportedly want to convince him to stay at Chelsea.

Sports Brief took a look at why a partnership between Pochettino and Lukaku would make sense.