Antonio Conte and Roberto Martínez may never have crossed their paths before, but they agreed on one thing: Romelu Lukaku is going to find success away from Old Trafford.
The Italian boss and the Spanish tactician shared their views on Lukaku's debut with the nerazzurri, finding common ground in how the footballer's skills will improve under the Italian manager, to the delight of Belgium's coach.
Speaking after his team defeated Lecce in their opening match of the 2019-20 Serie A season, Antonio Conte heaped praise on Lukaku's performance and hinted that he will find the way to flourish in the Italian top-flight in ways he never had the chance to at Manchester United.
"Lukaku showed why we tried so hard to sign him. He's just 26, has margins for improvement, he's got to work. He must take advantage even more of the skills he has, because in my opinion he's got skills that he hasn't shown yet, he hasn't shown everything yet, in his football career," Conte said, in what seemed to be a slight dig at Manchester United.
Later, Belgium's coach Roberto Martínez seemed to agree with Conte, as he went even further by stating that the striker's career would have stalled if he had stayed at Old Trafford, mainly because he would not be fighting to win a title this season.
"Romelu needed a new challenge. Sometimes you get bored of a club. Working with Conte will please him and the project of Inter, who will chase the title, is interesting. I saw Lukaku laugh again and it made me happy," Martinez said in an interview.
The Belgian striker was praised even further by his coach with the nerazzurri, who applauded his commitment to the team and even handed him a nickname.
"I knew him as a player, but from a human perspective, I didn't know him. It was a pleasing discovery. He is a gentle giant, always has a smile on his face. He's ready to work for the team and at the disposal of his team-mates," Conte added.
Lukaku scored in his debut with Inter, but according to both of his coaches, it won't be the last time in which he finds the back of the net, which will do wonders for both Belgium and the nerazzurri.
