Romelu Lukaku reveals he was forced to change in youth dressing rooms at Chelsea as Napoli star opens up on 'laziness' claims & painful stint at Stamford Bridge

Romelu Lukaku has claimed he was forced to change in the youth dressing rooms at Chelsea during his ill-fated second spell at the club.

• Lukaku returned to Chelsea in 2021
• Struggled to get going in second spell
• Left permanently to join Napoli

WHAT HAPPENED?

Lukaku returned to Chelsea in 2021, becoming the club's then-record signing for a staggering £98 million ($136m) fee. He played just 26 Premier League games, however, scoring eight goals, and was subsequently shipped out on loan, first to Inter, and then to Roma. He joined Napoli last summer.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Now, the Belgium international has lifted the lid on his nightmare spell in west London, claiming that he was forced to change in the youth dressing rooms, and has also accused the Blues of trying to tarnish his image in the media.

WHAT LUKAKU SAID

Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, he said: "I wasn't alone at Chelsea. [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and [Hakim] Ziyech were also out of the project. They made us change in the youth locker room. It’s business, the club tells you it doesn’t want you anymore and often also where you’ll end up. But if you want to leave, even for serious reasons, you don’t have the option. They drag it out until the last moment, they wear you down.

"Clubs have relationships with the media, and it doesn’t take much to put a player in a difficult position or create the wrong image. Believe me, I’ve seen things I never thought I would. One day, I’d like to explain all of this to younger players, who is really working for them and who is working against them."

WHAT NEXT?

Lukaku has scored nine goals for Napoli in Serie A this season and will next be in action when they face Fiorentina this weekend.