Romelu Lukaku: Failed Chelsea return has left anger inside me after Inter Milan loan switch

Romelu Lukaku has admitted he was left angry after his unsuccessful return to Chelsea following a club-record transfer to Stamford Bridge last summer. 

The 29-year-old headed back to the English capital for a staggering £97.5 million, but after just one season back with the Blues, he has already departed back to Inter Milan. 

Lukaku scored 15 goals in 43 appearances on his return, but it was a spell that was full of unhappiness and a strained relationship with Thomas Tuchel led to only one decision being made - to finalise his exit. 

The new owners did just that, facilitating a loan move to Inter Milan with another season on the cards should he be successful in 2022-23. 

At the end of June, his move to the San Siro was confirmed which Chelsea will hope ends in success to lift his transfer fee nearer to the £97.5 million they paid for him.

It was a big-money move that didn’t work out for any party - other than Inter Milan - with Chelsea not seeing Lukaku’s full ability, the one they had hoped they’d see after they re-signed him.  

Lukaku is now looking to the future but is using the anger left behind to ensure he succeeds more than ever before.

That starts with Inter Milan.

He told DAZN: “The season at Chelsea gave me extra motivation to do even better than before.

“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 added: “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, when I heard there was an opportunity to come back here, 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’s why I made the decision to come back here.”