Inter striker Romelu Lukaku is still not at his best physically, and this has been part of the reason for why his form has been hit-or-miss across his first few matches back with the Nerazzurri.

This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, who note that the Belgian had also needed time to find both fitness and form at the beginning of his first stint at Inter under Antonio Conte.

Lukaku had arrived at Inter from Manchester United in the summer of 2019, with a major transfer fee placing pressure on him to immediately make an impact in a Nerazzurri shirt.

The Belgian showed flashes and bagged some goals early on, but it was only as the weeks and months wore on that he began to show his best under Conte and became the Nerazzurri’s talisman, playing a key role in winning their first Serie A title in eleven years.

A key reason for this is that Lukaku had arrived from United in physical shape that was far from ideal, with the Belgian having been overweight and not quite in the right condition to be at his dynamic best across ninety minutes.

This appears to have been the case for the second time that Lukaku has made the move to Inter from the Premier League, with the 29-year-old once again somewhat overweight upon his loan return from Chelsea.

The Belgian’s display against Lazio was among the worst of any player on the pitch at the Stadio Olimpico, and he struggled to get involved or test the Biancocelesti’s backline.

Tactical issues may have accounted for part of this, but the sense was that Lukaku was playing within himself as he did not quite have the energy or physicality to really put his stamp on the match.

Now, the 29-year-old will know that he must made the same physical transformation that he made three years ago under Conte if he is to have the same kind of impact playing under Inzaghi.