It has now been confirmed that Romelu Lukaku has completed his transfer to Chelsea for €115m (£97.5m) after just two seasons at Inter, making him the most expensive ever Serie A sale.
He had the first part of his medical in Milan on Monday morning, then flew out from Linate Airport in a private jet, telling reporters he would release a message for the Inter fans “over the next few days.”
Thomas Tuchel was determined to sign a top goalscorer to boost the European champions' hopes of winning the Premier League title this season.
And as it became clear first-choice target Erling Haaland was out of reach at Borussia Dortmund, focus turned to Lukaku, who has now signed a deal through to 2026.
“I’m happy and blessed to be back at this wonderful club,” Lukaku said of his return to the Premier League.
“It’s been a long journey for me: I came here as a kid who had a lot to learn, now I’m coming back with a lot of experience and more mature.
“The relationship I have with this club means so much to me, as you know. I have supported Chelsea as a kid and now to be back and try to help them win more titles is an amazing feeling.
“The way the club is going fits my ambitions perfectly at 28 and just coming off winning Serie A. I think this opportunity comes at the right time and hopefully, we can have a lot of success together.
“Since I left Chelsea, it’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs, but these experiences made me strong and the challenge is to try to help the team win some more trophies. I can’t wait to get started and to help the club achieve more success.”
According to Sportitalia, Lukaku will receive a contract worth €15m per season, plus a €3m signing-on fee.
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Manchester United are expected to pocket €5-6m as their cut of the fee, having sold the Belgium international to Inter for €74m plus €4m in bonuses in 2019.
This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago
