Romelu Lukaku Reveals Reason For Everton Exit Plans

Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku at White Hart Lane in London, March 5. Lukaku has refused a new contract at Everton. ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty

Romelu Lukaku has cited Everton's lack of ambition as the reason he decided to reject a new contract at Goodison Park.

The 23-year-old turned down an offer, reportedly worth £140,000-a-week ($172,000), which would have made Lukaku the highest earner at Everton.

The Merseyside club has not won a league title in 30 years, and the Belgian striker says there is too much retrospection at Goodison.

"Everton as a club have a great history, right?" Lukaku said, as quoted by the Daily Mail. "But the future has to be written. You get me? We always talk about the teams of the 1980s and, if you look, it was great. But we, as players, want the fans talking about us instead of us talking about them. No disrespect but you know what I mean?

"You cannot be remembered by scoring goals. You want to be remembered by winning trophies. That is what the fans want. So, instead of living in the past, you have to think ahead."

"You cannot be remembered by scoring goals. You want to be remembered by winning trophies. That is what the fans want. So, instead of living in the past, you have to think ahead."

Lukaku explained how he has spoken to his national teammate Vincent Kompany about the speed at which Manchester City rose from mediocrity to the Premier League title.

"Everyone was criticizing them but, at the end, there are two league title, FA Cup here, League Cups there," he said. "That is what we want as players."

Antonio Conte's Chelsea is known to be an admirer of Lukaku, despite selling him to Everton in 2013. Manchester United is also reportedly interested in signing him.

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