Soccer

Romelu Lukaku fuelled by ‘anger’ after disappointing Chelsea return

The striker has returned to Inter Milan on loan for the new season

Romelu Lukaku with his Inter Milan team mate Lautaro Martinez during a pre-season friendly. Photograph: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images
Romelu Lukaku with his Inter Milan team mate Lautaro Martinez during a pre-season friendly. Photograph: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images
Wed Aug 10 2022 - 16:39

Romelu Lukaku is determined to use the “anger” from an underwhelming campaign at Chelsea to impress again with Inter Milan.

The Belgium striker has returned to Inter on loan for the new season, moving back to the club he left to re-join Chelsea in a £97.5 million deal during the summer of 2021.

Former Everton and Manchester United forward Lukaku failed to hit the heights of previous spells in England, but still finished with 15 goals.

Lukaku, 29, intends to prove the critics wrong by having an impressive second spell with the Nerazzurri.

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“The (last) season at Chelsea gave me extra motivation to do even better than before,” Lukaku said in an interview with DAZN Italia.

“I think in one year everyone has forgotten about the things I am capable of doing on the pitch. That is a kind of anger that I have inside me.

“That now the (Inter) team has it too, which didn’t win last year, all together we hope to do better and bring something home.”

Lukaku had a spell at Chelsea as a teenager, but was let go by the club in 2014, eventually joining Everton after successful loan spells with both West Brom and the Toffees.

A £75 million move to United followed in 2017, before Lukaku completed another big-money switch to Inter two years later.

Reflecting on his earlier career at Stamford Bridge, Lukaku said: “I think before, when I left, I wanted to take revenge at Chelsea because when I was young it was my team for 11 years.

“I had the opportunity to go back there and thought I would be a hero, but that wasn’t the case. In March, I heard there was an opportunity to come back here (to Inter).

“Slowly I didn’t say anything, but toward the end of the season we did a very good job with the club and I was able to come back here.

“I make reflections only at the end of the season, so after the last game I put myself to think what my situation was — I saw that as a player with Inter I did well, the season at Chelsea for me was difficult.

“I had no doubts, that is why I made the decision to come back here (to Inter).”