Former Inter striker Romelu Lukaku opens up on his first Chelsea spell

Romelu Lukaku was tipped to be the hair to Drogba throne at Chelsea before he was eventually sold to Everton.

Speaking to the club media, Romelu Lukaku said: "It was painful and helpful, but I would say more helpful because it gave me the mentality and the mindset that I needed to become the player I am today.

"The team was very good but nobody saw the extra work they did after the training sessions. As an 18-year-old, I saw first-hand every day how much the players worked on their craft.

"That's when I knew that was what you had to do to become this type of player. I told myself 'when I'm not playing, this is what I'm going to do' and it basically just became a lifestyle.

'I knew I would improve as a player so it was just about timing. I had two opportunities to come back, in 2016 and 2017, but it didn’t happen for various reasons. It happened because now is the right time and the right age."

Lukaku left Chelsea on a permanent transfer in the summer of 2014 after two successful loan spells with West Bromwich Albion and Everton.

The Belgian struggled at Manchester United but managed to reboot his career at Inter Milan, returning to Stamford Bridge for £97.5 million in the summer.