Mourinho: 'Lukaku needs to feel loved'
"I see Romelu happy," Mourinho said after AS Roma's 7-0 win over Empoli on the evening of September 17. "He needs to be happy, needs to feel loved and wanted. He came here and immediately felt that the team needed a player like him."
Last season, while on loan from Chelsea, Lukaku scored 14 goals in 37 matches for Inter. During the 2019-2021 period, the Belgian striker also scored 64 goals in 95 matches for the red and black striped team. However, while Inter was negotiating a loan for the 2023-2024 season, Lukaku secretly contacted another Italian team, Juventus. This made Inter angry and withdrew from the deal.
After being abandoned by both Inter and Juventus, Lukaku had to wait until the end of the transfer window to join Roma. According to the one-season loan contract, Roma must pay a fee of 10 million USD and all salary. Lukaku debuted in Roma's 1-2 loss to Milan, before contributing a goal in the 7-0 win over Empoli.
Regarding Inter's anger towards Lukaku, Mourinho advised the old team to end it. He believes that Inter has no reason to be angry after winning 5-1 against Milan in the derby of the same round, and has a quality squad. "They must be happy for their old coach, who needed Romelu," he said.
Mourinho was Lukaku's former teacher at Chelsea and Man Utd. In the summer of 2017, he himself asked Man Utd to spend 93 million USD with 18 million in additional fees to buy the Belgian striker from Everton. Lukaku played two seasons for Man Utd, scoring 42 goals in 96 matches, before moving to Inter. He won a Serie A, an Italian Cup, an Italian Super Cup, and reached the finals of the Champions League and Europa League with this team.
Mourinho also had success with Inter. In the 2009-2010 season, he helped Inter become the first Italian team to win the treble. After returning to Italy in 2021, Mourinho once again succeeded by helping Roma win the 2022 Conference League and reach the 2023 Europa League final.
The 7-0 win over Empoli was Roma's first victory in Serie A 2023-2024. Before that, they drew 2-2 with Salernitana, lost 1-2 to Verona and 1-2 to Milan. This week, Roma will start the Europa League with a match against Moldova's team, Sheriff.
