Chelsea’s recent drama has come to an end after Romelu Lukaku has issued an apology to Blues fans.
It has been a controversial few weeks for the Belgian forward, who became the target of critics after a candid Sky Italia interview in which he expressed his unhappiness with his current situation at Chelsea.
Chelsea’s number nine voiced his desire to return to Inter Milan before his physical form declines. Rumours about a potential exit in the January transfer window then grew.
Things escalated quickly. Soon after the interview was published, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel left the star out of their squad for the key match against Liverpool.
Lukaku, who has struggled in Tuchel’s system, re-joined the Blues this summer for a £97.5m fee. He has only scored five Premier League goals so far.
The 28-year-old has a history of public complaints and outbursts. His rocky exit from Inter Milan a few months ago was the latest chapter of a career full of ups and downs. Despite his young age, Lukaku has already played at six different clubs.
Romelu Lukaku issues apology in Chelsea TV interview
However, it looks like Lukaku wants to make things right this time. In an interview with Chelsea TV, the forward apologised for the unnecessary drama he caused over recent weeks.
The Belgian star, who looked genuinely distraught, was asked for his feelings on the episode. Visibly emotional, Lukaku issued a heartfelt plea for understanding.
“To the fans, I’m sorry for the upset that I caused. You guys know the connection that I have with this club since my teenage years, so I totally understand you guys being upset.”
In the second part of his interview with Sky Italia, Lukaku suggested that his top three dream clubs were Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich. That didn’t sit well with Chelsea fans.
However, Lukaku wants Chelsea supporters to know that the Blues are the only team on his mind. He claimed to have rejected other teams in the past to play for Chelsea:
‘My club was Chelsea. Everybody knows that from being 10 or 11 years old, I said I wanted to play for Chelsea. There were clearly images when I came on my school trip that I said I wanted to play for Chelsea.”
Lukaku then referred to his unsuccessful first spell at Stamford Bridge and promised to make the most out of his new chance:
‘So for me, I came here when I was 18; it didn’t go so well. Now I’m back at 28 in the prime years of my career – I can’t really mess this up.’
“I want to move forward from this and make sure that we start winning football games and I perform for the best team in the best manner.”
Lukaku understands his words mean less than his goals. With a London derby against Tottenham on Wednesday, he’s got a chance to win Chelsea fans back quickly.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
