‘Romelu is a different player – he was a rough diamond’: Lukaku has taken his game to the next level after leaving Manchester United for Inter Milan, says boss Antonio Conte
- Antonio Conte says Romelu Lukaku is a completely different player to a year ago
- The striker was deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester United last year
- The 27-year-old has scored 41 goals in 57 games since arriving at the San Siro
- Conte said the Belgian has improved every part of his game in the last year
A season at Inter Milan has made Romelu Lukaku a ‘different player’ to the one that left Manchester United in 2019, according to manager Antonio Conte.
The striker scored 15 goals in his final season at Old Trafford but was deemed surplus to requirements as United could only finish sixth in the Premier League. He was subsequently sold to Inter for £73million on deadline day and has not looked back since.
Lukaku scored 41 goals in 57 games since arriving at the San Siro including 34 in his first campaign. He broke a Europa League record by becoming the first player to score in nine consecutive games.
Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte insisted Romelu Lukaku has taken his game to the next level
Conte said the striker is a different player to the one that left Manchester United a year ago
He already has seven goals in the current campaign and scored the opener in his side’s 2-0 victory at Genoa on Saturday.
Conte hailed the 27-year-old’s development in the last 12 months and said every part of his game has improved.
‘Romelu is a different player to what he was a year ago,’ the Inter boss told Sky Sport Italia after the game.
The manager described the forward was a ‘rough diamond’ when he arrived at the San Siro
The Belgian already has seven goals in this campaign after reaching a tally of 34 last season
‘I always said in the past he was a rough diamond that I wanted to work with.
‘He is working and you can see just the way he receives the ball, the way he moves, everything has improved.’
The forward also grabbed a last minute equaliser for the Italians in their Champions League group game against Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday.
Lukaku had given his side the lead in the 49th minute before they were pegged back by the Germans but the Belgian was on hand head in from close range to level the scores in the 90th minute.
Conte’s team currently sit third in the Serie A table having won three, drawn one and lost one of their opening five matches.
