Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has claimed that he sold Romelu Lukaku to Everton because the Belgian striker did not have the stomach to fight for a place at Stamford Bridge.
Lukaku joined Everton in a club-record £28 million (Dh173.8m) transfer on Wednesday, having scored 16 goals in 33 appearances while on loan at Goodison Park last season.
The 21-year-old faced competition from new signing Diego Costa and returning club great Didier Drogba at Chelsea, and Mourinho felt that he did not possess the drive to win a first-team place.
“Romelu was always clear that in his mentality and his approach he was not highly motivated to come to a competitive situation at Chelsea,” Mourinho told Thursday’s edition of British newspaper the Daily Mirror.
“He wanted to play for Chelsea, but clearly only as first-choice striker. And at a club of our dimension, it’s very difficult to promise a player that status.
“That reduced immediately his desire to come to us. After that, Everton came with an important offer and because we want to be inside (Uefa’s) Financial Fair Play rules, you have to analyse these situations.”
Lukaku was dubbed the heir apparent to Drogba when he joined Chelsea from Anderlecht in 2011, but he made only 15 appearances during his three years with the west London club.
The Belgium international, who played at the World Cup, revealed that he had left Chelsea without speaking to Mourinho.
“I spoke with my agent and then from that moment on I left it up to him as I was on holiday,” said Lukaku, who has signed a five-year contract with Everton. “I made my decision and then didn’t speak too much about it.”
Asked if he had spoken to Mourinho immediately prior to leaving, Lukaku replied: “No, I think he was busy with the game (Chelsea’s friendly against Vitesse Arnhem on Wednesday).”
Despite failing to make the grade at Chelsea, Lukaku said that he had no regrets about his time at the club.
“Chelsea is a big club and sometimes it is difficult for young players to come through,” he said.
“I want to have a good career and I didn’t want to spend 10 years on the bench. I wanted to make the best out of every year.
“This (Everton) is a club with a lot of ambition and it’s the right place to be. You don’t have to have regrets in football. Choices have to be made.”
Everton manager Roberto Martinez described Lukaku’s arrival as “a very significant day in the history of our football club” and said the Belgian was “worth every single penny”.
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
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Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
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Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
The biog
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Kanguva
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