MusaRomelu Lukaku has opened up about how two transfers involving Everton led him to lose trust in agents. The striker, now playing for Napoli in Serie A, shared details about past deals that left him disillusioned with the role of representatives in football.
Lukaku first joined Everton on loan for the 2013-14 season, scoring 13 Premier League goals before making the move permanent from Chelsea. He spent three more successful years at Goodison Park, eventually leaving for Manchester United in 2017 as the club’s all-time top Premier League scorer.
Throughout his career, Lukaku has been represented by several agents, including the late Mino Raiola, Christophe Henrotay, and Federico Pastorello. However, he currently does not have an agent.
In an interview with Het Nieuwsblad (via Sport Witness), Lukaku revealed the behind-the-scenes details of his permanent transfer to Everton, including irregularities he claims to have found in his contract.
“It all began in 2014,” Lukaku said. “I signed with Everton, but I could have joined Juventus, Wolfsburg, or Atletico Madrid. That didn’t happen. I ended up at Everton—fine—but when I saw certain numbers in my contract, I thought: something isn’t right. I started investigating, and the truth came out. A year later, Kevin De Bruyne moved to Manchester City and uncovered similar issues. Eventually, everything was exposed in the media.”
At the time, Henrotay was Lukaku’s agent and was later investigated in Belgium’s Operation Clean Hands for alleged financial misconduct.
When Lukaku left Everton for Manchester United in 2017, he was heavily linked with a Chelsea return. However, he claims Raiola persuaded him to join United instead.
“I had already decided: I’m going to Chelsea,” Lukaku recalled. “But then Mourinho called, saying United had made an offer. I returned from vacation, and suddenly a deal with Everton was done. I told Mino, ‘I don’t want this,’ and from then on, I took control of my own decisions.”
Lukaku eventually secured his Chelsea return in 2021 in a reported £97.5 million deal. However, his second stint at Stamford Bridge was underwhelming, leading to loan spells at Inter Milan and Roma before his permanent move to Napoli last summer. There, he scored 14 goals, helping the club secure the Serie A title.
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