Federico Pastorello, the agent who represented Romelu Lukaku during his £97.5million move to Chelsea in 2021, has admitted the transfer “clearly wasn’t the right choice” in hindsight — and revealed Real Madrid were briefly an option at the time.
Speaking to AS, Pastorello reflected on the Belgian’s turbulent second spell at Stamford Bridge and the chain of events that followed. Lukaku left Inter Milan after helping them win the 2020/21 Serie A title, but his Premier League return never lived up to the hype.
Pastorello: “No, clearly not the right move”
When asked directly if Chelsea had been the right club for Lukaku, Pastorello was brutally honest.
“No, clearly, in retrospect, probably not,” he admitted. “In many ways, yes — because Romelu was included in the Ballon d’Or list that year, which had never happened before, and it was a record transfer from the Italian league. But in retrospect, maybe I, as an agent, wouldn’t have made that transfer.” — Federico Pastorello, *AS*
Lukaku’s 2021/22 season at Chelsea produced 15 goals and two assists in all competitions, but he never fully adapted to Thomas Tuchel’s system. His infamous interview with Italian media midway through the campaign, where he hinted at missing Inter, effectively ended his long-term prospects in west London.
Pastorello added that staying in Italy might have been the wiser path.
“He could also have stayed at Inter, and everything would have changed. Conte left, as did Hakimi, who was important in Romelu’s season.”
Real Madrid interest revealed
The agent went on to reveal that Carlo Ancelotti once explored the idea of bringing Lukaku to Real Madrid, describing it as a “real opportunity” before Los Blancos shifted focus to Kylian Mbappé.
“Well, don’t let any club get mad at me, but I think Real Madrid is the best club in the world for many reasons. I must be honest and say there was an opportunity when it wasn’t clear where Romelu was going, and with Ancelotti as coach. They wanted to reinforce their attack but were already focused on Mbappé for the following year.” — Federico Pastorello
Pastorello said Ancelotti “always held Lukaku in high regard,” but a move never materialised due to Real Madrid’s financial priorities at the time.
Lukaku’s post-Chelsea journey
After an underwhelming season at Chelsea, Lukaku returned to Inter Milan on loan in 2022/23, before spending the following year at AS Roma. In 2024, he joined Napoli permanently, where he has since rediscovered his scoring touch under Antonio Conte once again.
| Romelu Lukaku Career Snapshot (as of 2025) | Stats |
|---|---|
| Age | 32 |
| Career Goals | 275 |
| Clubs Played For | 9 |
| Major Trophies | 5 |
source: transfermarkt / match data – 15 October 2025
Analyst verdict – the sliding doors of Lukaku’s career
In my view, Pastorello’s admission sums up Lukaku’s Chelsea chapter perfectly: a move driven by emotion and opportunity rather than tactical fit.
FootballPlace analyst John William adds:
“Chelsea signed the wrong version of Lukaku — the player who needed a system like Conte’s, not Tuchel’s. The Real Madrid interest only adds to the ‘what if’ story. In the end, Napoli looks like the redemption arc he always needed.”
Key insights
- Pastorello admits Chelsea “clearly not the right move” for Lukaku.
- Reveals Real Madrid considered him before prioritising Mbappé.
- Says he would not make the same transfer again “as an agent.”
- Lukaku has since revived his form at Napoli under Antonio Conte.
- Chelsea paid £97.5m for the striker in 2021.
What’s next for Lukaku?
Now settled at Napoli, Lukaku is enjoying his best run in years. His absence for three to four months is the reason Napoli signed Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United, leaving Lukaku out of their UEFA Champions League squad list. His Italy revival is timely as Belgium prepare for their final qualifiers ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
But Pastorello’s words reopen an old debate — would Lukaku’s legacy look very different if he’d stayed at Inter or made that dream Real Madrid move?
👉 Would Romelu Lukaku have thrived under Ancelotti at Real Madrid?
1 Comment (last comment by Adem)
First read message
By Adem 16 Oct 2025 10:58
We've done some amazing transfers over the last years... this is one of them... So much money, for an impact for 2/3 games, thats it. Wasn't the right call, but imagine him at Real Madrid.
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