Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel reportedly 'broke his relationship' with Romelu Lukaku when he made a joke about Antonio Conte that 'didn't go down well'.
The unsettled Belgian striker completed his loan move back to Inter on Wednesday, less than 12 months after arriving at Stamford Bridge for a club record fee of £97.5million.
Lukaku, who scored just eight times in 26 Premier League appearances last campaign, made no secret of his desire to return to the Italian giants during a contentious interview with Sky Italia last December.
By contrast, the 29-year-old netted 64 goals in 95 games at Inter under Conte, helping secure the Serie A title in 2020-21.
Tuchel's bond with Lukaku reportedly fractured after he made a joke that 'didn't go down well'.
Whilst watching a game involving Spurs, the Blues boss offended Lukaku by joking that Conte was his 'daddy', according to GOAL reporter Nizaar Kinsella.
The journalist, who was speaking on The Italian Football Podcast, claimed that the incident exacerbated the relationship between the pair.
He explained: 'To see him talk so highly of Inter was an insult to Chelsea fans. It broke the relationship with them.
'And there was another incident behind the scenes that wasn't televised or anything like that.
'Someone told me that Lukaku and Tuchel were watching a Tottenham game and Tuchel said, ''There's your daddy'', about Antonio Conte.
'It was just a joke, but apparently, it didn't go down very well with Lukaku.'
Upon touching down in Milan on Tuesday to complete his medical at the club, Lukaku greeted Inter fans with a smile and handshakes, delighted to put the troubling Chelsea spell in his wake.
Meanwhile, the west London club are on the brink of finalising a deal worth £55m plus add-ons for Leeds winger Raphinha.
Sadakmnpst
1
Insult or joke, that's not enough reason to flop or leave the club after costing £98m a few months ago... He has all the mouth of Zlatan with the abilities of Andy Carroll. Jose Mourinho told Ricardo Calvalho that he has mental problems and needs to get his head checked at the hospital after he made a mistake in one game at Chelsea... Ricardo replied by forming the best defensive partnership EPL has ever seen with John Terry, they finished an entire season conceding less than 17 goals. This is not a game for teenage girls, it's elite football, a cutthroat business. Lukaku should eff off with his touchy feelings!
I agree with you. He was being paid to perform and he did not perform.
Sadakmnpst
0
Insult or joke, that's not enough reason to flop or leave the club after costing £98m a few months ago... He has all the mouth of Zlatan with the abilities of Andy Carroll. Jose Mourinho told Ricardo Calvalho that he has mental problems and needs to get his head checked at the hospital after he made a mistake in one game at Chelsea... Ricardo replied by forming the best defensive partnership EPL has ever seen with John Terry, they finished an entire season conceding less than 17 goals. This is not a game for teenage girls, it's elite football, a cutthroat business. Lukaku should eff off with his touchy feelings!
on point bro
FaithEvans
0
but betancur and klusevski flopped in serie a but did very well in epl
They didn't... Kulusevski tallied 19 goal involvement with Parma in just 39 games before he signed for Juventus where he got another 19 goal involvement despite not being a first team player. Bentacur played 181 times for Juventus, u don't last that long at Juventus if u weren't any good, he had to go cuz they're overstocked in midfield. Get your facts straight.
Jamesdon
0
Enjoy your stay please make it permanently
Tozadklmsz
1
Lukaku body is like Hulk but his mind is like mustard seed.
Pipaklnosy
1
An average player who is best fit for wrestling... I remembered all that Lukaku vs Ben White memes at the beginning of the season, after Pablo Mari and Holding made him look like a good player. I knew that game was not a fair reflection of him, but many were deceived. I don't know why Seria A is considered a top league of defending. There's space everywhere to run to and u can count the world class defenders on your hands. He will go there and bully them again.
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but betancur and klusevski flopped in serie a but did very well in epl
SonyMontana52
0
Lukaku is a very good player....Chelsea doesn't play well with a striker....he was Chelsea's highest goal scorer last season despite limited playing time
43 matches is limited game time??
FaithEvans
3
An average player who is best fit for wrestling... I remembered all that Lukaku vs Ben White memes at the beginning of the season, after Pablo Mari and Holding made him look like a good player. I knew that game was not a fair reflection of him, but many were deceived. I don't know why Seria A is considered a top league of defending. There's space everywhere to run to and u can count the world class defenders on your hands. He will go there and bully them again.
FaithEvans
0
some of you fans are really dumb, for those who say "it was a joke" read again, Tuchel meant it as an insult an tried to play it off as a joke, if someone you don't have a good bond with says that to you, you will be pissed especially if that person don't understand the relationship the two have, so stop looking for reasons to insult Lukaku when the person responsible for this entire crap is TT, no way a player is bought for that fee an you don't play to suit him, especially when he is a striker, some of you need to take your racist mentalities an jump off a cliff with it, and we all know if it was messi or ronaldo in this situation, half of ya'll would say they are right.
Insult or joke, that's not enough reason to flop or leave the club after costing £98m a few months ago... He has all the mouth of Zlatan with the abilities of Andy Carroll. Jose Mourinho told Ricardo Calvalho that he has mental problems and needs to get his head checked at the hospital after he made a mistake in one game at Chelsea... Ricardo replied by forming the best defensive partnership EPL has ever seen with John Terry, they finished an entire season conceding less than 17 goals. This is not a game for teenage girls, it's elite football, a cutthroat business. Lukaku should eff off with his touchy feelings!
AB1604
0
he is flop in EPL
Doodersuy
2
Lukaku thank you for sealing inter deal.. now we can watch Chelsea match again.. am so happy... as for me you will remain a boy how cannot face his worst fears ..
Utwo
3
Physically big but mentally kid.
jaucelopty
1
some of you fans are really dumb, for those who say "it was a joke" read again, Tuchel meant it as an insult an tried to play it off as a joke, if someone you don't have a good bond with says that to you, you will be pissed especially if that person don't understand the relationship the two have, so stop looking for reasons to insult Lukaku when the person responsible for this entire crap is TT, no way a player is bought for that fee an you don't play to suit him, especially when he is a striker, some of you need to take your racist mentalities an jump off a cliff with it, and we all know if it was messi or ronaldo in this situation, half of ya'll would say they are right.
Lmao, so just because of a joke, lukaku should run away from a club after one season. He just lacks professionalism. If he didn't like the joke, he could've told tuchel afterwards. If ronaldo and Messi like you said were the type to run away from clubs after jokes like that, they wouldn't be where they are today lmaoo.
DinAli316
2
some of you fans are really dumb, for those who say "it was a joke" read again, Tuchel meant it as an insult an tried to play it off as a joke, if someone you don't have a good bond with says that to you, you will be pissed especially if that person don't understand the relationship the two have, so stop looking for reasons to insult Lukaku when the person responsible for this entire crap is TT, no way a player is bought for that fee an you don't play to suit him, especially when he is a striker, some of you need to take your racist mentalities an jump off a cliff with it, and we all know if it was messi or ronaldo in this situation, half of ya'll would say they are right.
Sexymore147
1
A very stupid reason if you ask me.....there is your daddy”” in any context isn't an insult of any kind. His heart wasn't there to begin with or shld I say he was full of regret joining Chelsea. He wanted to prove something to the hierarchy that they were wrong in selling him the leave but it didn't plan out.
Lukaku is a very good player....Chelsea doesn't play well with a striker....he was Chelsea's highest goal scorer last season despite limited playing time
Yondiame1
0
A very stupid reason if you ask me.....there is your daddy”” in any context isn't an insult of any kind. His heart wasn't there to begin with or shld I say he was full of regret joining Chelsea. He wanted to prove something to the hierarchy that they were wrong in selling him the leave but it didn't plan out.
ijelejoe
4
Person can not even joke with lukaku in peace again 🙄 small joke done turn to fight Snakekaku
hollar1309
0
Good bye bolingoli, how I wish it was a permanent deal🤣
TryNuell
2
the most controversial clown of all time