Belgium star, Romelu Lukaku, has said that former Blues boss Jose Mourinho did not force him out at Chelsea and revealed the Portuguese was the first person to send him a message of support following his move to Everton.
“Choices have been made by me. By me. Not by them,” Lukaku told the Daily Express.
Mourinho has been criticised for allowing the Belgian to leave Stamford Bridge, initially on loan for the 2013-14 campaign before the move was made permanent by Everton the following summer.
Lukaku, who has scored in each of his last seven Premier League games, admits he is saddened by Mourinho’s exit and believes the criticism surrounding the former Chelsea manager is unfair.
“Everyone says it is Mourinho’s fault, but it is not his fault because I made the decision. I went to his office to ask if I could go.
“He was the first one to say, ‘Good luck.’ When I signed the deal [at Everton] at 11 o’clock, I got a text message on my old BlackBerry saying ‘Good luck, do your best and I will see you next season.’ He was the first, nobody knows that and that is why for me he gets immense respect.