{"id":100603,"date":"2023-09-18T14:55:48","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T14:55:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/09\/18\/romelu-lukaku-needs-to-feel-loved\/"},"modified":"2023-09-18T14:55:48","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T14:55:48","slug":"romelu-lukaku-needs-to-feel-loved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/09\/18\/romelu-lukaku-needs-to-feel-loved\/","title":{"rendered":"Romelu Lukaku ‘needs to feel loved’"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"
Romelu Lukaku helped Roma to their first win of the season on Sunday
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Roma manager Jose Mourinho said Romelu Lukaku thrives when he feels loved after the striker scored his first Roma goal in\u00a0Sunday\u2019s 7-0 win over Empoli.<\/p>\n

The Belgian joined the club from the Italian capital on a season-long loan from Chelsea in the summer.<\/p>\n

Lukaku, 30, re-joined Chelsea for \u00a397.5m in 2021 but his return proved unsuccessful and he was not part of new manager Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s plans.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cRomelu needs to feel loved and wanted,\u201d said Mourinho.<\/p>\n

The Portuguese, who worked with Lukaku at Chelsea and Manchester United, added: \u201cWhen he came here, he could sense the team needed a player like him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe likes to win \u2013 that\u2019s in his nature. I think he\u2019s really happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lukaku, 30, spent last season on loan at Inter Milan, appearing in the Champions League final defeat by Manchester City.<\/p>\n

But they could not reach a deal to permanently sign him from Chelsea, who he had re-joined from the Italians in August 2021.<\/p>\n

And, after making clear he did not want to return to Stamford Bridge, he signed for Roma, who have only collected four points from their first four Serie A games.<\/p>\n

Mourinho added that netting his first goal would be good for the forward\u2019s confidence.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cThat wasn\u2019t a big deal for me. Maybe it was for him \u2013 you know what footballers are like, especially forwards, they live to score.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s an intelligent player who since arriving has made it clear that first and foremost what matters is that Roma score, not that he scores.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mourinho also said Inter, who thrashed AC Milan in their derby on Saturday, have \u201cno reason to be angry\u201d at Lukaku.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey won the derby 5-1 and have an amazing team with lots of forwards,\u201d added Mourinho, who managed Inter from 2008-2010.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should be happy for their former coach, who needed Lukaku.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ ALSO<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n