Romelu Lukaku's Chelsea comments may pave way for Thomas Tuchel's dream Erling Haaland transfer
Romelu Lukaku's fresh Chelsea comments criticising
manager Thomas Tuchel and throwing his future up into the air could reignite
the club's interest in Erling Haaland ahead of the summer transfer window.
Haaland, 21, was one of the club's primary striker targets before Marina Granovskaia and co.
splurged £97.5million to bring Lukaku back to west London.
But that decision already looks to have backfired due to what the 28-year-old has had to say on his
discontent with the current situation at Chelsea coupled with his Inter Milan transfer admission.
He said via Gianluca Di Marzio: "Physically I am fine , even better than before. This condition
is due to my two years in Italy in which I worked a lot with trainers and nutritionists.
"It is something that will remain for always with me. However, I cannot say
that I am happy with the situation , this is normal. I think that Tuchel has chosen to play
with another module and I just have to not give up, continue to work and be a professional."
To add to the misery that these comments have caused already to the Chelsea faithful on social
media, Lukaku pleaded for Inter fans' forgiveness as he plots a way back to Italy in the future.
"I think everything that has happened would have done differently, come I left Inter,
as I talked to the fans, are things that annoy me," the £97.5m man reflected.
"Now I think it is right to talk because I have always said that I have Inter in my heart and
one day I sincerely hope to be able to play there again.
"I am in love with Italy. This is the time to let people know what really happened without
speaking badly about people because I'm not like that."
He went on to conclude: "I want to apologize enormously to the Inter fans.
"I think I was wrong: the way I left had to
be handled differently . I should have talked to you first. because the things you have
done for me, for my family, for my mother, for my son will remain forever in my life.
"I really hope with all my heart to be able to return to Inter
one day and not at the end of my career. I would like to return when I am still
at high levels to try to win even more with the Nerazzurri shirt."
These comments now have brought a potential Haaland transfer back into the fold
with the Blues likely to consider their options ahead of the summer now
with the main focus of January centred around sorting out the current defensive crisis.
Whatever happens, what we do know is that Tuchel would be in favour of seeing the
Norwegian sensation don the famous number 9 jersey if Lukaku was to get his Inter Milan wish granted.
Talking to SportBILD after winning their manager of the year award,
the Chelsea boss said back in October: “We talked about Erling Haaland a couple of times, including
during the transfer window. But then it seemed absolutely unrealistic and not at all feasible.
“We talk about him regularly, of course, because he’s a fantastic player and clearly
the defining figure at Dortmund, who is a big rival for us in the Champions League.”
He continued: “I don’t think we’ve been really serious about it yet,
but let’s see what will happen in the next few weeks.”
Since these quotes came out, Tuchel was forced to apologise to Dortmund but the 21-year-old
himself has also made a telling admission that makes Granovskaia's task mission impossible.
As per Di Marzio, Dortmund's talisman 'doesn't like' Chelsea and the Premier League with
La Liga his dream move amid the £75million release clause coming into play this summer.
"He doesn't like Premier League too much. It is not in his dreams. It
is not the perfect league at the moment," the well know journalist told Wettfreunde.
"It is not the perfect league at the moment.
"He prefers La Liga - he likes Liga a lot. So, I think in his thoughts,
La Liga is the perfect tournament, now, to play in. Or Bundesliga, where he is currently playing.
"So it is not sure that he'll leave in the summer. Borussia Dortmund thinks that for his career,
another year there should be the right step. I don't know what Mino Raiola thinks about it.
I think Raiola wants to get him out of Borussia Dortmund because
after two years there it is important for him to have another challenge.
So I think he will try to find the right solution for him."
All attentions now switch towards Tuchel's press conference on Friday morning as well as Sunday
when we will see if the German will punish his key star for undermining his authority and tactics.