‘It was like a warzone!’ Romelu Lukaku remembers first meeting with Chelsea legend

Romelu Lukaku failed to make the grade at Chelsea during his first spell at the club Romelu Lukaku 

Romelu Lukaku revealed his first Chelsea training sessions represented warzones and recalls getting roughed up by club legend John Terry during one particularly bruising encounter.

Lukaku completed his first move to Chelsea as a teenager 

The Belgium international joined the Blues as a callow teenager from Anderlecht a decade ago and failed to make the grade under a succession of managers, including the likes of Andre Villas Boas and Jose Mourinho.

Lukaku has since cemented his reputation as one of Europe’s most consistent goalscorers and returned to Chelsea this week, following a £97m move from Inter, unrecognisable from the shy teenager who was in awe of his illustrious former teammates.

Romelu Lukaku joined Chelsea as a teenager a decade ago

‘Is Romelu the missing piece? We hope, we hope,’ Tuchel said. ‘Of course we expect goals. ‘And why? Because he delivered goals everywhere he played so, yes, that’s why he’s here and we will see how far that goes.


‘I am absolutely convinced he will have a very positive impact on Timo Werner, on Kai Havertz, on Christian Pulisic and the guys who play with him and around him and will open spaces and attract focus from the defenders. That we demand goals and he demands goals is obvious.’