Tuchel has stated that Lukaku was always the club's number one choice during their pursuit of a striker last summer.
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Romelu Lukaku got into big trouble recently following his controversial interview with Sky Sports in Italy. As a result of it, the club-record signing was not part of Sunday’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Liverpool. Since then, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has held talks with Lukaku and earlier informed that the striker has apologised for the interview. Now, Tuchel has stated that Lukaku was always the club’s number one choice during their pursuit of a striker last summer. The Stamford Bridge outfit had moved to bring Lukaku back to London from Inter Milan in 2021 summer after deciding to sign a striker as a priority. Besides, the manager also confirmed that the Belgian striker will face disciplinary action for that interview.
“First choice is also about what is possible and what’s not possible and what is a good fit,” Tuchel was quoted as saying by the club’s website ahead of the visit of Tottenham Hotspur. “It was the perfect fit, and it still is. Let’s say the spotlight got a bit bright now and we should not talk around it. We all have things to prove.
“He feels clearly in a position from day one that he has to deliver. I don’t think that you can assume that we spent this amount of money and bring all this effort after having major doubts or second thoughts, or having him on the list in, say, place number four.”
Tuchel also went on to inform that Lukaku will be fined for his recent controversial interview. “There will be some disciplinary action and he will accept it of course,” Tuchel said. “What happened, happened. It is not a small thing, but it is not the biggest thing out there. It does not make a comeback impossible – absolutely not. This is what we prove now but something happened, and he will be fined and of course he needs to accept it.”
He added: “It is not about my opinion and the club’s opinion. It is not about how I push my opinions through or the club. We had our doubts and we reflect on the situation. The more the story went on I had a clear opinion, and I was happy that it was okay for the club to go with it. I had the feeling it was fine.
“I spoke also to the players because it was not only about my feeling or ideas. Even in a moment like this where there are easier things to deal with, it was very nice to see that we have an open and very close relationship.
“We can find very quick solutions without any political interference, without pulling in every disturbing factor. We put them aside and isolate it on the moment and what is best for the moment. From there we went on, and it was very nice to be a part of it.”
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