Romelu Lukaku explains decision to join Roma from Chelsea after two other moves fell through
Romelu Lukaku has opened up on his decision to join Roma
Roma
Romelu Lukaku has opened up on his move to Roma after the Serie A side confirmed his arrival on Thursday.
The Belgium international will spend the season in the Italian capital after Jose Mourinho's side were able to agree a deal with Chelsea.
Lukaku had originally been expected to rejoin Inter Milan on a permanent basis, having returned to the San Siro last season.
But that didn't happen after they learned he'd been in talks with Juventus over a shock move to their rivals.
Romelu Lukaku is excited to get going at Roma
ROMA
The Old Lady then pulled the plug themselves after fans made it clear they didn't want Lukaku to join, storming the field in protest.
Now the 30-year-old will be playing for Roma instead.
And Lukaku, speaking to the club's official website, has opened up on his decision to move to the Stadio Olimpico.
"The welcome I've received from this club and its fans has excited me and given me even more motivation to give my all for my new team," said the forward.
"As an opponent, I felt the atmosphere of the Stadio Olimpico, and felt the warmth of the Romanisti.
"It's nice to know I'm a part of it today.
"I recently got the opportunity to speak with the owners, and I was impressed by their ambition.
"Now we must work, be humble, and grow game by game.
"For my part, I can't wait to be available to my teammates both on and off the pitch.”
Confirming his move, Roma said Lukaku was a 'formidable goal scorer' and had 'showcased his versatility in attack'.
Roma general manager Tiago Pinto also spoke out, hailing the deal for Lukaku while insisting they were signing a player capable of making a huge difference.
"Knowing that Lukaku has chosen Roma can only bring us great satisfaction," he stated.
"With his arrival, we gain more experience, professionalism, and a drive to win.
"All our decisions are focused on increasing the squad’s competitiveness, and we continually assess their performances on the pitch.
"However, it makes us very proud to watch the fans greet Romelu with such excitement.”
Roma will now be Lukaku's latest team.
The striker started his career at Anderlecht, scoring 41 goals from 98 matches before joining Chelsea.
Lukaku failed to make the grade during his first spell at Stamford Bridge and, after loan spells at West Brom and Everton, joined the Toffees permanently in 2013.
After shining at Goodison Park he then earned a huge move to Manchester United four years later.
Lukaku's time at Old Trafford started well enough, with the forward scoring 27 goals from his first 51 appearances.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Inter Milan refused to re-sign Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis
PA
But after going off the boil, he was then sold by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to Inter in 2019.
Lukaku fired the Serie A giants to Scudetto glory in 2021, earning a huge return to Chelsea.
However, he never seemed happy back at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea have now approved a second loan deal in as many years as a result.