Lukaku: I was made scapegoat at United
Pogba, Sanchez or me were blamed, he claims Striker hints at problems in the dressing room
Romelu Lukaku has attacked Manchester United, his former club, claiming that he was made a scapegoat for everything that went wrong with the team last season.
The striker left United for Inter Milan in a deal worth about £73million after just two seasons at Old Trafford. Despite an encouraging first campaign in Manchester under former manager Jose Mourinho, he endured a miserable end to his time at the club before agitating for the summer move to Italy.
The Belgium international had spent much of his time under new United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the bench and felt he was not shown the respect or affection he deserved.
As well as insisting he was unfairly picked out for criticism as United failed to qualify for the Champions League, he also hinted at problems in the dressing room, as he questioned why the team had failed to perform with so many talented individuals.
“They have to find somebody,” he told the Lightharted podcast. “It is [Paul] Pogba, it is me or it is Alexis [Sanchez]. It’s the three of us all the time. I just see it in many ways.
“A lot of people don’t think I should be part of that system. That’s my feeling from the conversations that I have, I just know.
“The thing that makes me laugh is how the hell is s--- going bad with my team, but when I’m with my national team it’s good? I’m happy.”
Lukaku scored just 12 goals for United last season and grew tired of hearing people question whether he was good enough to play for the club following his arrival from Everton.
Even in his first season, Lukaku was written off as a “flat-track bully” who was only effective against the weaker sides.
“I put my hand up, I don’t think I was the only one playing bad – a lot of people were,’ he said.
“If they want to put the blame on me, f--- it. I know what I’ve been through and this is just soccer.
“The team has so much potential to do great stuff. A lot of talent, but it’s not only talent, it’s about building a team.
“A lot of people don’t think I can be part of that team. I’m just saying, if it’s like that, then we can go our separate ways.”