Romelu Lukaku interview brings noise Chelsea don't need, says Tuchel

Romelu Lukaku's interview in which he revealed a desire to return to Inter brings "noise we don't need", Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel said ahead of their key Premier League clash with Liverpool.

In an interview with Sky Sport Italia conducted several weeks ago but aired on Thursday, Lukaku expressed dissatisfaction with life at Chelsea and spoke of his wish for a future move back to the Nerazzurri, with whom he won the Serie A title last season.

Lukaku scored 24 times for Inter in Serie A in 2020-21 but has found the net on just five occasions in 13 Premier League games since joining the Blues for a second spell in August.

Not helpful for Chelsea

"We don't like it, of course. It brings noise that we don't need and it's not helpful," Tuchel told a media conference. 

"We don't want to make more out of it than it actually is. It is easy to take lines out of context, shorten lines, make headlines and then realise later that it is not so bad.

"Like I said, this is what you read into it. It is very easy, in general, to take lines out of context and make headlines to get the focus. I totally understand the process and that is why it is a lot of noise, not a little noise.

"But still, we are not here to read the headlines. We can take the time to try and understand what is going on because it does not reflect the daily work, attitude and behaviour which Romelu shows here at Cobham."

Asked if Lukaku should have kept his grievances behind closed doors, Tuchel replied: "If you are such a big player like Romelu, it is always in the public.

"He should know what kind of value he has when he speaks out with messages like this. Everything is easier when we win.

"The dressing room might not always be in harmony. Sometimes it is good to be on the edge, in disharmony.

"With Romelu, I don't think that anybody in this building is unaware that he is unhappy. I can see no reason why he should be like this. That's all I can say."

City move further ahead

Chelsea have dropped points in three of their past six games to fall eight points behind leaders Manchester City in the title race.

On the spirit in the dressing room amid their slump in form, Tuchel added: "Very disappointed, angry. Me, myself, also angry on the situation, results, referee decisions.

"We have the feeling we invest a lot, we squeeze and squeeze the lemon but it is like squeezing the same lemon over and over again and expecting fresh juice."