Lukaku and that phone call to Inzaghi: the sensational market background

ROME – Dreams sometimes travel and take shape on the smartphone. It is 8.30 am on Tuesday 5th April when the display lights up. The cell phone rings Simone Inzaghi. The Inter coach has just turned 46. Surprise. The call comes from Londonbut it’s not about Thomasthe eldest son, shipped in England studying. He is the center forward never trained, indeed the one lost after ten days of work ad Appiano Gentilein July 2021. «Hello, mister. Best wishes. I’m Romelu. Happy birthday”. Simone answers. Short pleasantries. Big Rom goes straight to the point: «Mister, what can I do for Inter? I would like to come back”. This is how, just over two months ago, the most sensational and unexpected intrigue on the market was born. The background reveals the decisive opening. How to transform a phone call friendly and good wishes on the basis of a negotiation that would develop in the following weeks. Romelu’s invitationin crisis a Stamford Bridge for months, never considered by Tuchel and repented for returning to England, as he had confessed in the days of Christmas in an interview granted to Sky Sport. Without that phone call, there would have been no market hit.

Inter, Lukaku’s move

Lukaku meditated, or rather had been brooding for some time, the move. He wanted to return at any cost. He just had to study and figure out what the best strategy was. Moving in first person, trusting in Simone’s esteem and support, was the key to operating the reverse gear. from London to Milan. So he created the conditions and delivered a great strength to Inter even before the end of the championshipwhen the maneuvers to approach the Chelseamoreover crossing the farewell of Abramovic and the entrance of the new property. The rest they did the silent work of Federico Pastorelloa much-listened agent at Stamford Bridge, and the diplomatic canvas sewn by Beppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio. Resume the bomber sold the previous summer for 110 million. In via della Liberazione, for more than two months, they had counted on the availability of the Belgian center forward. A nice advantage while waiting to understand which formula would have favored the return operation, now one step away from formalization.

Lukaku and Inzaghi’s promise

The feeling between Simone and Lukaku he was born last year, in unsuspecting times, before a painful but temporary separation took place. The former technician of the Laziohired by Marotta, he had called Big Rom well in advance of the rally and pre-season preparation. She had promised him to win the Golden Shoe. “I’ll make you score an avalanche of goals”. As passepartout the good offices of Jordanthe other Lukaku, trained in Formello. «Inzaghi tactically is really strong. His teams produce a lot of goals. I know his form because my brother had him for five years at Lazio and I knew that he could give this extra step in managing the ball “ explained the Chelsea center forward in late December. The project will now complete. Inzaghi’s Inter won Super Cup and Italian Cuptyping the Juvebut in the league she finished second behind Milan. No scudetto with the best attack in Serie A (84 goals). Had Lukaku been there …