Former Inter striker Nicola Ventola believes that the issues that current Nerazzurri striker Romelu Lukaku is going through now pertain more to his mentality than his physical condition.
Speaking to Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport in an interview published in today’s print edition, via FCInterNews, the former striker also gave the view that Edin Dzeko’s contract should be extended by the Nerazzurri.
Whilst Lukaku has put in a few performances where he’s shown something like the impact expected of him, including his goal from the bench against Porto three weeks ago, the sense is that overall the Belgian has not been up to par.
Even since he has been fully fit in recent matches, the 29-year-old has often looked off the pace.
As far as former striker Ventola is concerned, this is more down to the player struggling to find the right mentality rather than because he is still dealing with lingering physical effects of injury.
“Now it’s no longer a physical problem, it’s a mentality issue, he no longer feels important, he no longer feels like he’s vital to this team,” he suggested of Lukaku.
“Under Conte he was a leader and an automatic starter, now that’s no longer the case,” he noted.
Ventola suggested that he’d rather start Dzeko alongside Lautaro Martinez against Porto tomorrow, stating that “Dzeko is a complete player.”
“His technical ability means that he can always affect the game, he helps the team tick over,” he suggested of the Bosnian.
“Romelu doesn’t have that same quality.”
“I would offer Dzeko another season’s contract extension,” Ventola argued, “and I would give him whatever his wage demands are.”