Di Marzio Reveals Shock Backstory Between Lukaku & Juventus – Shook Hands Two Days After UCL Final With Inter Milan

Gianluca Di Marzio has revealed that Romelu Lukaku had already agreed to join Juventus just two days after playing in the Chmapions League final with Inter Milan.

Di Marzio detailed the sensational backstory of the Belgian’s seemingly imminent transfer to the Bianconeri in a column in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, via FCInter1908.

Lukaku’s situation with Inter has been one of the transfer soap operas of the summer.

Even if the 30-year-old does not join Juventus after all – the Bianconeri must still work out a deal with Chelsea – his intentions look clear.

Lukaku shocked the Nerazzurri with the degree of his talks with Juventus.

Whilst last month it seemed like a sudden and abrupt break when Inter pulled the plug on talks to sign Lukaku, Di Marzio has revealed that, in actuality, the player’s decision was a long time coming.

Whilst things blew up very quickly, the roots of the dramatic collapse went back months.

Di Marzio: Lukaku In Talks With Juventus Since March, Said Yes In June

According to Di Mrzio, the initial contacts between Lukaku and Juventus occurred in March.

Bianconeri coach Max Allegri had asked for the club directors to sign him an out-and-out Number Nine for next season. And no player fit the bill for the coach’s demands better than Lukaku.

The fact that the Belgian was at that point playing for Juventus’s rivals Inter certainly presented a problem.

However, the Bianconeri decided to test the waters anyway. They decided there was no harm in at least seeing if such an audacious, improbable move would be possible.

And in March, then-Juventus Sporting Director Giovanni Manna established contact with Lukaku’s lawyer Sebastien Ledure.

There was no agreement at that early stage. But the seed was then planted.

Therefore, Di Marzio reveals, Lukaku ha actually had the idea of a move to Juventus on his mind throughout the final could months of the season.

Lukaku Mulled Over Juventus Interest During Final Months Of Season

That period was obviously a busy one for Inter.

The Nerazzurri had to claw their way back into the Serie A top four after a disastrous period in the spring, for one thing.

And in the Coppa Italia, Inter dispatched none other than Juventus in the semifinals of the competition. That semifinal tie saw Lukaku at the heart of a racism scandal involving Bianconeri fans.

In the final of the competition, Inter beat Fiorentina.

And in the Champions League, the Nerazzurri got past Benfica and AC Milan to reach the final.

Throughout the period, Lukaku finally found something like his best form after struggling with injuries all season.

The Belgian was never an automatic starter in the big matches however. That distinction still went to Edin Dzeko.

Such was also the case in the Champions League final against Manchester City. Dzeko started, whilst Lukaku came off the bench, somewhat infamously missing some late chances as the Nerazzurri lost 1-0.

Whether it was that which pushed Lukaku to make his decision, or whether it was incidental, Di Marzio gives the timeline.

He reports that what is now clear is that Lukaku decided on Juventus two days after that final.

Then, a month later, the Belgian shocked the Nerazzurri who had thought they were going to sign him back from Chelsea.