West Brom loan signing hits out at Chelsea

Romelu Lukaku has slammed Chelsea for keeping him on the bench last season after an £18 million move from Anderlecht a year ago.

The Belgium international last week joined West Bromwich Albion on a season--long loan and admitted that he’s lost his hunger after starting just one Premier League game for parent club the Blues.

“I couldn’t see myself staying at Chelsea,” the 19-year-old told the Daily Star, adding: “I sacrificed a year of my career with them and didn’t want to put up with it any more.

“I decided in March I wanted to go out on loan, and told my agent to find me a club. I am relieved to have found a solution.

“On the first day of pre-season I told the manager I wanted to leave.

“Roberto Di Matteo told me I ought to think about Chelsea as there weren’t going to be many other strikers this season, but this is the time for me to think about myself.

“I got sick of watching the others from the bench. I just played 12 games and when I was playing well, they would take me off.

“I lost my hunger for the game over the past year. I won’t beat about the bush – my season at Chelsea went very badly.

“As regards getting minutes on the pitch, I wasted my time.

“Last season I was in the reserves alongside a young lad who’d barely turned 15 and I asked myself what I was doing there.”