Thomas Tuchel has said Romelu Lukaku was always the club's number one choice when we entered the transfer market last summer, while also confirming the forward will face disciplinary action for his recent interview with Sky Sports in Italy.
The club moved to bring Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan in the summer after deciding to prioritise signing a striker. Tuchel has admitted the Belgian still has a point to prove and he hopes he can do so by performing on the pitch.
‘First choice is also about what is possible and what’s not possible and what is a good fit,' Tuchel said ahead of the visit of Tottenham. 'It was the perfect fit, and it still is. Let’s say the spotlight got a bit bright now and we should not talk around it. We all have things to prove.
‘He feels clearly in a position from day one that he has to deliver. I don’t think that you can assume that we spent this amount of money and bring all this effort after having major doubts or second thoughts, or having him on the list in, say, place number four.’
The Bavarian also confirmed Lukaku will have to accept a fine for his recent interview with Italian media that has caused a stir in the past few days, but is an interview our no.9 has since apologised for.
‘There will be some disciplinary action and he will accept it of course,’ Tuchel said. ‘What happened, happened. It is not a small thing, but it is not the biggest thing out there. It does not make a comeback impossible - absolutely not. This is what we prove now but something happened, and he will be fined and of course he needs to accept it.’
Tuchel also thanked the efforts of the club for the way they dealt with the situation and praised the ‘open and close relationship’ that he has with other senior Chelsea personnel.
‘It is not about my opinion and the club’s opinion. It is not about how I push my opinions through or the club. We had our doubts and we reflect on the situation. The more the story went on I had a clear opinion, and I was happy that it was okay for the club to go with it. I had the feeling it was fine.
‘I spoke also to the players because it was not only about my feeling or ideas. Even in a moment like this where there are easier things to deal with, it was very nice to see that we have an open and very close relationship.
‘We can find very quick solutions without any political interference, without pulling in every disturbing factor. We put them aside and isolate it on the moment and what is best for the moment. From there we went on, and it was very nice to be a part of it.’