Lukaku: Man Utd consider us dumb as nobody came out to shut rumours down

Romelu Lukaku blasted Manchester United in a podcast recorded before his move to Inter.

The Belgium international sat down for a lengthy interview with the LightHarted Podcast with NBA star Joe Hart, discussing his acrimonious exit from Old Trafford and move to Serie A for Inter.

“A lot of stuff has been said where I didn’t feel protected. I felt like a lot of rumours, Rom going there, they don’t want Rom, and nobody came out to shut it down.

“It was for a good three-four weeks. I’m waiting for someone to come out and shut it down. It didn’t happen. I had my conversation, told them it was better to go our separate ways. If you don’t want to protect somebody, all these rumours come out. I just wanted you to say Rom is going to fight for his place, but it never happened for four-five months.

“It was all he’s got to go, he doesn’t deserve to be there, well OK, then I want to go now. There is fighting for your position, but also being somewhere that people want you to be.

“If you’re happy, you find a way, it doesn’t matter if you’re on the bench or starting. But nobody told me that was the situation, so I thought for two-three weeks to analyse, see all this **** coming out in the media. Who leaks it? Not me. Not my agent. I see it on my phone come out of nowhere.

“I told them it’s not good for me to be at a place where I’m not wanted. We’re not stupid. They consider us dumb, but we are not dumb, we know who is doing leaks and stuff. I told them, you can’t be working like this, it’s better for me to go now.”

Juventus were also an option, but Conte had already wanted Lukaku when in charge of Juve and then Chelsea.

“I do stuff because I really believe in myself and I fight for what I believe in. I am at a moment in my life where I’m at a place where I’m clearly not wanted, I don’t want to be a problem in the locker room, so let’s find a solution and get this sorted.

“You don’t want to keep an unhappy player and you clearly don’t want me to be here either.”

The podcast was recorded before Lukaku had signed for Inter, but he still discussed the imminent transfer.

“Inter aren’t the only ones. Two teams are interested and United know my situation, what I want to do, it’s up to them. I haven’t had any indication from them what they want. It’s up to them and my agent to find a solution.

“It’s important to be somewhere you are wanted.”