Former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has claimed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted to keep him at the club.
Lukaku departed Old Trafford for Serie A in August after sealing a £73million move to Inter Milan, just two years after United paid £75m to sign him from Everton.
The Belgian international scored a total of 42 goals in 96 matches for United, but was not considered as first choice under Solskjaer - who took the reins following the departure of Jose Mourinho - and fell below Marcus Rashford in the pecking order.
Speaking on Lukaku's departure in September, Solskjaer insisted it had been "time for Rom to go", reiterating that the player simply did not want to remain where he was.
“What is the point in having players that don't want to be here?," he said.
However, addressing his United exit in the Belgian press this week, Lukaku claimed Solskjaer did actually want him to stay put.
"Solskjaer has my eternal respect. He understood me when I said in March that it was time for me to leave,' he told Het Belang van Limburg.
"I have been in the Premier League as an 18-year-old boy and now I am 26. Solskjaer wanted to keep me, but I was ready for something new."
Lukaku - who was joined at Inter by former United team-mate Alexis Sanchez, currently sidelined with a dislocated ankle and tendon damage - has made an impressive start with the Nerazzurri, scoring nine goals in his first 15 appearances across all competitions as Antonio Conte's side look to end Juventus' reign of domestic dominance.
He continued his fine run of scoring form by netting for Belgium in their 4-1 Euro 2020 qualifying victory over Russia in Saint Petersburg on Saturday.
