Back in 2017, Romelu Lukaku was close to a Chelsea return. However, the Belgian signed for Manchester United in a deal that earned Everton initial £75m plus £15m in add-ons.
The striker, who now is an Inter Milan player, has opened up on how it all happened back in the days speaking out on LightHarted podcast:
“I was gone, I was going to Chelsea. I was looking for an apartment, an apartment for my mum to stay in close to the practice facility, so I don’t have to drive too far. And then Man U came.
“They came and they told me – I was in New York – I get a phone call from this number and I’m like, ‘Who’s this?’ Pick up, Jose Mourinho.
‘Rom, how are you doing?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, what’s up, boss?’
“‘I’m gonna get you back, we’re gonna pay £75m plus £15m in bonuses by next week, so I expect you in LA.
So go and do your s*** in LA and I’ll see you after’. I felt the dude was lying, like ‘I’ll see you’.
“Then the next thing I know, I wake up and had to go back to Everton on the July 7 and July 6.
I wake up in the morning and I see they’ve agreed the deal, so I’m like, ‘Man! They came in hard!'”