“Sometimes you can be offered so much money that it skews your thought process” – Stan Collymore accuses Chelsea star of being ‘blindsided’ by money

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has struggled since leaving Inter Milan to return to Stamford Bridge last summer. Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has accused the Belgian of being 'blindsided' by money with his decision to reunite with the London-based club.

Lukaku joined Chelsea on the back of a sensational outing with Inter Milan, in which he led the Nerazzurri to claim the Serie A title last season. His return of 24 goals and 10 assists in 36 games caught the Blues' attention and they splashed a whopping £97.5 million to snap him up.

However, the Belgian's return to Stamford Bridge hasn't panned out as hoped. He is currently struggling for opportunities at the club, with manager Thomas Tuchel opting to play without a natural striker on many occasions.

Having watched Lukaku struggle in London this season, Stan Collymore couldn't hide his disappointment over the striker's decision to return to Chelsea. The former Liverpool forward wrote in his exclusive column for CaughtOffside:

"This season has been one to forget for Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku and it’s been really disappointing because he is actually one of my favorite players. If I’m honest, I was surprised he went back there because I remember him getting hammered when he missed a penalty in a Super Cup final."

"He got a lot of stick from Chelsea fans and left after that, but sometimes, you can be offered so much money that it skews your thought process."

Collymore went on to claim that it would have been a better decision for the striker to remain at Inter. The Englishman continued:

"He went to Inter Milan from United and it looked like he’d finally found a home. If I could say this to any player, I would say that there is always a balance between top-level money and you knowing where you need to be in order to get the best out of yourself."

"Lukaku was enjoying life at Inter Milan and working incredibly well under Antonio Conte – so just stay. Despite him coming in and getting off to a decent start, it is still a terrible fit and we’re seeing this now. Lukaku is a lesson to any player who is happy at a club, competing for trophies, working towards legendary status, and then gets blindsided by money."

Romelu Lukaku's numbers for Chelsea this season

The forward has been relegated to a bit-part role at Stamford Bridge in recent months.

The Belgian has made 40 appearances for the Blues across all competitions since the campaign kicked off, recording 12 goals and two assists. This includes five goals in the Premier League, two in the Champions League, three in the FA Cup, and two in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Having endured a torrid spell in London, it wouldn't be a surprise if the striker looks to part ways with the Blues this summer. The Belgian certainly won't be short of options, having established himself as one of the finest goalscorers in Europe in recent years.