On Sunday, the Belgian will return to San Siro for the first time as an opponent after last summer’s “betrayal.” Gazzetta dello Sport explained step by step how the club and the striker parted ways.
Following the split with Inter last July, writes ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’ the Belgian trained separately with Chelsea, hoping to be acquired by Juventus, and instead ended up on loan to Roma, where he was strongly desired by Mourinho. Rom’s impact has immediately been significant, as he has so far scored 8 goals in 10 appearances, both in the league and in the Europa League.
10-6-23: benched in Istanbul
In the Champions League final against Manchester City at the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul, Big Rom began on the bench because Inzaghi initially chose the partnership Lautaro-Dzeko in the attack. The Belgian came on in the 57th minute, replacing the Bosnian, but inadvertently blocked a shot from Dimarco that could have equalizer the match.
13-6-23: The disappointment on social media.
Only 72 hours later, Romelu took on social media to talk about the match expressing disappointment, making it clear that he wants to stay at Inter: “First of all, I want to thank all the Inter fans for the love and support throughout the season. You guys have been there with us every step of the way, and personally, I want to thank you for that. It shouldn’t have happened… We gave everything. It’s a crappy feeling for all of us who love this beautiful club… But Inter is still hungry, and we will come back to fight with the hope of one day achieving that moment when history is written.”
14-6-23: Ausilio flies to London
On June 14, 2023, Ausilio (Inter’s sport director) flies to London to negotiate with Chelsea. Various names are on the table, including those of Koulibaly and Lukaku. The Belgian has already turned down a move to Arabia, and Inter understands that a loan deal is no longer possible; they must make a purchase.
21-6-23: Milan shows interest in Big Rom
After selling Tonali to Newcastle, Milan attempts a double offensive to acquire both Lukaku and Frattesi, who were Inter’s top targets at that moment. There are contacts with Ledure (Lukaku’s agent). The same applies to Juventus. Inter will only find out about this afterward.
24-6-23: Romelu is absent from Dimarco’s wedding.
On June 24, Di Marco gets married to Giulia Mazzocato, but the center forward from Antwerp doesn’t show up. Instead, Handanovic, Darmian, Cordaz, and Barella are present, and the day before, they had also attended Bastoni‘s wedding. Dimarco and Lukaku were very close friends and shared the same agency, Roc Nation. Lukaku’s absence goes almost unnoticed, but it is indeed significant.
30-6-23: Marotta talks about Big Rom.
Marotta openly discusses Inter’s desire to acquire the Belgian: “Chelsea will need to assess whether Romelu is in line with their project; if he isn’t, their strategies will change. It’s clear that they can’t imagine putting him on the market and receiving significant offers. Notably, the potential transfer to Arabia was around 50 million. That can be a reference target, which is far from the 115 million we requested and received for his transfer two years ago.”
7. 5-7-23: Ausilio admits to negotiations with Chelsea.
During an event in Milan, Ausilio openly reveals, “Lukaku is important for us, from the entire sports department, but he is a Chelsea player. The discussions with the English club have never been interrupted. We know they won’t loan him for a second year; we are considering the possibility of acquiring him permanently. He is well aware that we would like to bring him back to Inter, and we will try to find a solution.”
12-7-23: Inzaghi wants Lukaku back
Inzaghi, at the first press conference of the season, expressed his opinion on Lukaku: “He is Chelsea’s player, and it’s right not to talk about him. I fought hard to bring him back here last year, and I would like to do the same this year. We will see if it’s possible. We know what Lukaku represents, what he did in the second half of the season when he recovered from his injury. .
14-7-23: Inter-Lukaku break up
It’s the day of the big hoax. Inter reaches an agreement to purchase Lukaku’s contract: 35 million plus 5 million in bonuses to Chelsea, but neither the player nor his agent, lawyer Ledure, can be reached by phone. Even his teammates try to call Romelu, but he’s nowhere to be found. It becomes evident that Juventus is behind Lukaku’s change of heart. Zhang and the other executives say stop: Inter informs Chelsea that they are no longer interested in the striker. During the night, Lukaku calls Sporting Director Ausilio, who, however, hangs up after just 30 seconds.
18-7-23: Curva Nord attacks
Curva Nord takes a stance against Lukaku with a harsh statement: “Those who betrayed, will do it again, not because they take pleasure in it, but because it’s in their nature. Yes, Romelu, you have betrayed all of us who defended you fiercely during your tough times. We stood up for you when fans of the team that sought you (Juventus, ed.) mocked you, and now you repay us with a backstab worthy of the finest Brutus. You kissed that emblem that means more to us than our lives, and now, like a cheap mercenary, you sell yourself to the highest bidder. Before being a champion, one must be a man. And you are not.” Meanwhile, Lukaku trains with the Chelsea outcasts and doesn’t go on the tour.
20-7-23: Lukaku tries to come back, but there are 0 possibilities
Lukaku and his entourage started sending messages to Inter: there is a willingness to try to mend the rift, especially because Juventus is hesitant about the exchange involving Vlahovic with Chelsea. The Inter dressing room, however, rejects the idea: Martinez, along with other senior players like Barella, Bastoni, and Dimarco, no longer wanted him there.
26-7-23: Lautaro tough on Lukaku
In an exclusive interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Lautaro Martinez closes the Lukaku chapter: “I was hurt, that’s the truth. I also tried to call him during those chaotic days, but he never answered. He did the same with some of my other teammates. After so many years together, after experiencing so much together, I was disappointed. Of course, it’s his choice. I wish him the best. I didn’t expect such behavior.”
Inzaghi: “The story with Lukaku deserved a different ending.”
For the first time, the coach talks about Big Rom’s departure: “The story deserved a different ending because you all know what we, as a club and I personally, did last year to bring him back to us and because he had the love of the entire Inter family. I thank him for what he gave us last year; when he returned from his injury,
