Inter Milan legend Zanetti blasts Chelsea outcast Lukaku - 'He betrayed us'

09 August 2023 , 08:04

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Inter Milan legend Zanetti blasts Chelsea outcast Lukaku - 'He betrayed us'

Inter Milan vice-president Javier Zanetti has hammered Romelu Lukaku, claiming that the Belgian has "betrayed" the Serie A outfit.

Chelsea are desperate to offload their striker, who they signed from Inter in 2021, before loaning him back after an underwhelming season in west London. Last term, Lukaku helped the San Siro outfit reach the Champions League final, but is not expected to return for another season.

The Blues want to get the Belgian off their books, albeit they will have to take a huge loss on the £97.5million fee they signed him for. Lukaku though is being linked with a move back to Italy but to Inter's rivals Juventus in a potential swap deal that will see Dusan Vlahovic go the other way.

That has angered those at the San Siro and Zanetti has told Gazzetta dello Sport : “Lukaku has betrayed us. We’re very disappointed. We expected completely different behaviour by Romelu, as professional but also as a man."

Lukaku played 37 times for Inter last term, scoring on 14 occasions, but has seemingly burnt any bridges he had with those in Milan. The striker left to rejoin Chelsea two summers ago after a prolific period in Italy, which left him hurting given the manner of his departure and he made it known in an interview that he wanted to return - which he later apologised for amid backlash from Chelsea fans.

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He said: "How I left Inter, how I communicated with the fans, this bothers me because it is not the right time now, but even when I left it was not the right time. Now I think it is right to speak because I have always said that I have Inter in my heart, I will return to play there, I really hope so.

Romelu Lukaku has copped criticism from those at Inter Milan (Getty Images)

"I am in love with Italy, this is rightly the time to talk and let people know what really happened without talking badly about people because I am not like that. I want to say a big apology to the Inter fans because I think the way I left should have been different. I really hope in the depths of my heart to return to Inter, not at the end of my career, but at a still good level to hopefully win more."

Chelsea have bolstered their ranks this summer with the arrival of two forwards, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson. Mauricio Pochettino has been cryptic when quizzed on Lukaku but said on his future: “I think it is obvious. I think we can repeat this. It is obvious what is going on with him.”

Juventus fans though have made their displeasure known as they recently chanted "we don't want Lukaku" outside the club's medical centre.

Samuel Meade