The superstar Belgian striker was drafted into Stamford Bridge for a club record fee of £97.5 million ($135 million) last week as Thomas Tuchel attempts to find a remedy to Chelsea’s goalscoring woes.
Italian midfielder Jorginho finished last season as the Blues’ top Premier League goalscorer with seven – each of which came from the penalty spot – and ahead of a presumed challenge to Manchester City’s dominance of the English top flight, a proven goalscorer was top of Tuchel’s shopping list.
The defaced image shows scrawls across Lukaku’s face, while the words “sell-out traitor” are written in Italian underneath.
The latest act of aggression from Inter’s fans towards their former hero came just hours before Lukaku issued a heartfelt statement to the supporters he spent two years playing in front of, in which he thanked them for their “unconditional support”.
“Thank you,” he wrote. “Thank you for loving me as one of your own. Thank you for making me and my family feel welcome in Milano. Thank you for the unconditional support and love on a daily basis.
“Thanks for motivating me even more after the first season. When I came to Inter I immediately felt that I would do well at this club. The love and reception I first received at Malpensa airport was the start of a beautiful story.
“I made it my mission to never let you down every time I wore the Inter shirt. I gave 100% in every training session and every game so that I could make you proud.
“Our first season ended in the toughest possible way, but you guys gave me the strength to continue to keep pushing and we did as a team. That’s why we became champions together.
“I hope you guys understand my decision to move to Chelsea. It’s the chance of a lifetime for me and I think at this time of my career it is a chance that I have always dreamed of.
“One thing is for sure and that is that I will always remain a Interista, because without you I wouldn’t be the player or man I am today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
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