Lukaku 'thrilled to be back' at Inter as striker returns to training following summer transfer rumours

Romelu Lukaku is "thrilled to be back" at Inter after returning to training following persistent summer transfer rumours.

Lukaku has solidified his reputation as one of the top strikers in Europe since joining Inter from Manchester United for £74 million ($102m) in 2019, scoring 64 goals in his first 95 outings across all competitions for the Italian giants.

The 28-year-old fired the Nerazzurri to their first Serie A title in 11 years last term, and has since been strongly linked with a return to the Premier League, with former club Chelsea and Manchester City both reportedly interested in his services.

What's been said?

However, Lukaku has reaffirmed his commitment to Inter after reporting for pre-season training, having enjoyed a much-needed break following his exploits at Euro 2020 with Belgium.

"I did get to relax, but I’ve also been training to stay fit and be able to start [the season] well," he told the club's official media channel . 

"We now have a few weeks to prepare as well as we can for the new campaign. We hope to do well and achieve even more than last year.

"I’m thrilled to be back. We hope to continue down the path that we’ve started and to keep winning. All the players will work hard to make your dreams come true."

Inter's stance on Lukaku

Inter CEO Beppe Marotta has insisted that Lukaku will be staying put for the duration of the 2021-22 campaign, which will see Simone Inzaghi usher in a new era after replacing Antonio Conte as head coach.

“From our side, Lukaku is not for sale," Marotta said last week. "Lukaku is an important piece on the chessboard available to Simone Inzaghi.”

Lukaku on Inzaghi

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Lukaku went on to express his belief that Inzaghi is the right man to take Inter forward, having received positive feedback on the 45-year-old's management style from his brother Jordan, who played under him at Lazio.

"We had a good chat on the day that the club announced that he was going to be the new coach and we also spoke when I was at the Euros," he said. "My brother has also told me plenty about him.

"He’s a good coach. I think he’ll help the team achieve so much. We hope we can all work together to continue down the path that we’ve started."

Further reading

• Inter CEO Marotta: Lukaku is not for sale
• Inter offered Lukaku assurances amid transfer talk
• Lukaku claims Ronaldo would like his 'power'