BLUE-KAKU
Romelu Lukaku return to Chelsea CONFIRMED as Blues announce £97.5million striker from Inter Milan on five-year deal
ROMELU LUKAKU feels "happy and blessed" after Chelsea confirmed his £97.5million return from Inter Milan on a five-year contract.
The Belgium star is the world-class striker that Blues boss Thomas Tuchel has been desperate to add to his Champions League winners all summer.
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The former Manchester United and Everton ace, 28, has had two sensational seasons with Inter, helping them win Serie A for the first time in a decade last term.
And having left the Bridge seven years ago, Lukaku says it's an "amazing feeling" to be back.
He told : "I’m happy and blessed to be back at this wonderful club.
"It’s been a long journey for me. I came here as a kid who had a lot to learn, now I’m coming back with a lot of experience and more mature.
"The relationship I have with this club means so much to me, as you know.
"I have supported Chelsea as a kid and now to be back and try to help them win more titles is an amazing feeling."
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Lukaku added: "‘The way the club is going fits my ambitions perfectly at 28 and just coming off winning Serie A.
"I think this opportunity comes at the right time and hopefully we can have a lot of success together.
‘Since I left Chelsea, it’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs.
"But these experiences made me strong and the challenge is to try to help the team win some more trophies.
"I can’t wait to get started and to help the club achieve more success."
Before clinching the second-biggest signing by a British club, Tuchel explained why he rates Lukaku so highly.
Quite simply one of the world’s best strikers and goalscorers
Marina Granovskaia on Romelu Lukaku
The ex-PSG chief said: “He is the kind of profile we’re looking for...
“Romelu is one of the guys like Erling Haaland at Dortmund, Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich, Harry Kane at Tottenham, who is a real No 9, who loves to score and who has a presence in the box.
“That is not a secret. The sentence is easy to repeat for any coach in the world. We lost Olivier Giroud, who played a crucial role in the club.
“He was the kind of profile who likes to play with his back to goal, who likes to hold up balls, who creates space for Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, who is ready to fight physically with defenders.
“It’s still not the moment to talk about names, because we have nobody signed yet and we will show all the respect to other clubs.”
And Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia hailed the return of "quite simply one of the world’s best strikers and goalscorers".
She added: "We are absolutely delighted to be bringing him back to the club he loves, and are excited to be adding his talent to our Champions League-winning squad.
‘We are of course looking to build on last season’s success, and Lukaku will play a big role in achieving our targets.
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"I’m sure all Chelsea fans will join me in saying welcome home, Romelu!"
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Lukaku arrived at London Biggin Hill airport by private jet on Wednesday night to put pen to paper.
And only Jack Grealish's recent £100m switch from Aston Villa to Premier League champs Manchester City beats his fee.
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Romelu Lukaku releases statement to say that he is happy to be returning to Chelsea
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