Romelu Lukaku, known for his no-nonsense approach, hinted at the startling events of his summer ordeal, leaving everyone in suspense about the full story.
In a candid moment, the AS Roma forward alluded to a tumultuous summer: 'Most people in this room know me. You know that I don’t like to beat around the bush. I will speak when the time is right, but if I told you how things really went last summer, everyone would be shocked.'
He conveyed the tension he experienced, emphasising personal growth: 'There were moments when I felt like I could explode, and five years ago I probably would’ve done. Now I am concentrating only on what I can do best, which is playing football. I worked hard all summer.'
Lukaku's unease was compounded following the Champions League final in which he was scrutinised for his display as Inter Milan lost 1-0 to Manchester City.
'I was a bit uncomfortable after the Champions League final,' he admitted. 'But my mind was troubled because of what happened in the days leading up to it. I will talk about that later.'
While acknowledging offers from Al-Hilal, the striker was unsure about a move to Saudi Arabia: 'I was honoured by their interest, but after the conversations we had, I was not completely convinced. The league will become one of the biggest in the world, but I didn’t want to leave Europe yet.'
His summer decisions were carefully weighed: 'I knew full well what was going to happen this summer, and there were a few clubs I certainly would not go to. Ultimately, you have to consider what happened in recent years on a football and personal level, which is why I made my choice.'
While Lukaku hinted at sharing more in the future, his current focus remains on the pitch: 'I don’t like to talk too much off the field, but sometimes it’s good to tell people what really happened and what didn’t. I will one day, but not now because I want to keep the focus on my football. When I say things, they are taken out of context, and I don’t want that right now.'