Romelu Lukaku has explained the frustration he suffered at Chelsea last season, just days after sealing a season-long loan move to West Brom Albion, reports the Daily Mail.
The 19-year-old Belgian international, was signed last summer by former Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas in a deal worth £18 million, however Lukaku only started one Premier League game, and found himself fourth in the striking pecking order, behind Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres and Daniel Sturridge.
New Baggies boss Steve Clarke, has acted quickly in signing up the powerful forward, who had two prolific seasons with Belgian club Anderlecht prior to his big money switch to London.
‘I couldn’t see myself staying at Chelsea. I sacrificed a year of my career with them and didn’t want to put up with it any more,’ Lukaku explained.
‘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.’
Lukaku will be hoping to show Baggies fans the sort of form that saw him described as one of Europe’s hottest young striking talents, and is looking forward to linking up with Steve Clarke.
‘Steve Clarke constantly phoned me when I was on Chelsea’s US tour,’ he explained.
‘I am very happy to join West Brom.’