Lautaro Martinez rips into former Inter Milan star Romelu Lukaku as Chelsea summer exit beckons
According to Goal, Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez has slammed former teammate Romelu Lukaku as the Belgian closes in on a summer exit from Chelsea.
The 30-year-old is currently in his second stint at Stamford Bridge but has failed to develop into a first-XI regular on either try. He returned to the Blues following a Serie A MVP-winning camping with Inter in the summer of 2021 but has not kicked on.
Lukaku spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Inter, reforging the partnership upfront with Lautaro Martinez. While injuries limited his appearances, he looked far at home at the Giuseppe Meazza than at the West London club.
With Chelsea ready to sell and Inter keen to re-sign him, it appeared to be a solid fit for all parties. However, Lukaku’s decision to also flirt with Italian giants Juventus has rubbed the Nerazzurri the wrong way. They have now pulled out of the race to sign him and will look elsewhere for recruitment.
The veteran striker did try reaching out to his former Inter comrades to rebuild the relationship but Martinez for one isn’t having any of it. The Argentine star admitted to being offended by Lukaku’s attitude and has not taken kindly to him ignoring calls from Inter stars.
“I was disappointed, it’s the truth. I also tried to call him in those days of chaos, he never answered me, the same he did with my other companions. After so many years together, after so many things lived together, I was disappointed. Thankfully, it’s his choice. I wish him the best. But I didn’t expect this attitude.”
Martinez and Lukaku formed a solid relationship during their time in Serie A but now that appears to have come to an end. Both Inter and Martinez appear to have moved on and Lukaku will now have to agree terms with Juventus or some other side.
It is difficult to blame any party here apart from Lukaku for the fiasco. The Belgian should have kept communication channels open and not tried to be duplicitous. By doing so, he has now burnt bridges with yet another club in what is an uncertain summer for him.
