The big disappointment that has been Romelu Lukaku’s return to Inter on loan from Chelsea so far this season has become emblematic of the broader problems at the Nerazzurri.
This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who argue that the damp squib after much fanfare on his return has made the Belgian a symbol of this Inter team.
When Lukaku returned to Inter on loan from Chelsea last summer, it was one of the most high-profile transfer not just within Serie A but arguably in all of European football, given that he had left for London on a huge fee less than twelve months’ prior.
However, so far this season Lukaku’s form has given some indication of why Chelsea were willing to loan out a player they had spent so much to bring in.
Persistent injuries and fitness that has been far from optimal have been the main theme of the 29-year-old’s season, as he has missed months through injury and looked a shadow of himself when he has played.
For the Gazzetta, this is a symbol of Inter’s season as a whole so far – potential and expectation that are undoubtedly high, but which haven’t yet been realized.
