Romelu Lukaku hadn’t been back in pre-season training with Inter Milan for long when he started being bombarded with messages from Belgium international team-mates on his phone.
There was one subject they were looking for clarification on: Was he going to rejoin Chelsea? Their confusion was understandable, because Lukaku had made it clear publicly and privately over the summer that he was very happy at Inter Milan. The new Serie A champions had also insisted he was going nowhere.
Yet the 28-year-old’s replies gave enough of an indication that the situation had changed and a move back to Stamford Bridge was possible. One source suggests the striker intimated he simply ‘couldn’t resist’.
And so it proved. Less than a week off a decade to the day since first signing him from Anderlecht for £18 million, Lukaku has returned as Chelsea’s record buy at £97.