Romelu Lukaku has completed his long-awaited move to Italy after signing for Inter Milan from Manchester United for a fee of £74 million.
After Inter had a lower bid rejected previously this summer, they came back in for the Belgian striker on transfer deadline day and the improved offer of €80m was enough for United to accept.
The 26-year-old has signed a five-year deal with the Serie A side, who stepped in when a proposed swap move to Juventus involving Paulo Dybala fell through.
Lukaku said at the start of the summer that he dreamed of playing in Italy one day, and he was always thought to be down the pecking order for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and wrong for the style he wants to play this season.
On Wednesday evening Lukaku's agent Federico Pastorello posted a picture on Instagram of himself and the striker, accompanied by the words: "Ready to take off .... direction Milano."
🤳 DONE DEAL!
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) August 8, 2019
💰 Romelu Lukaku is an Inter Milan player... £73m well spent?#MUFC #DeadlineDay #ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/wsBWaK86HC
Lukaku then posted a video of himself in an Inter Milan shirt on Thursday, as the deal was announced to the public.
"Inter were the only club I wanted, because Inter is Not For Everyone," Lukaku said upon signing. "I'm here to bring the Nerazzurri back to the top."
The striker, who scored 42 goals in 96 appearances for United, has signed a contract until 2024 at San Siro.
Having raised eyebrows and irked United by starting the week training at former club Anderlecht in Belgium, the 26-year-old arrived in Milan overnight to complete paperwork and a medical.
⚽️ Most #PL goals since Romelu Lukaku's English top-flight debut in Aug 2011:
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) August 8, 2019
162 - Sergio Aguero
125 - Harry Kane
113 - ROMELU LUKAKU
89 - Wayne Rooney
85 - Eden Hazard pic.twitter.com/8mSApFwyFL
Class of 92 on Lukaku deal
Manchester United club greats like Phil Neville, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes are not sad to see the striker leave.
Phil Neville told PA: "He started well, didn't he? He started well. I'll be honest with you, I never felt as if he was a United centre forward. That was my feeling.
"But he started well, then obviously he lost a little bit of confidence and then found it difficult to get back up to form.
"I think there was always that feeling of was he fit enough? And was his style suited to playing football for Manchester United? That was my question.
"He'll always score goals wherever he goes. He'll score goals for Inter Milan.
"But the way you want to play, you've got to fit the right people on the bus and Romelu Lukaku was never that person."
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