Lukaku hails Inter boss Antonio Conte as the best in the world

Romelu Lukaku has given his clearest indication yet that he wants to leave Manchester United for Inter after hailing Antonio Conte as the best manager in the world.

Lukaku has been heavily linked with a move away from United this summer after dropping out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last season.

Antonio Conte was appointed Inter head coach earlier this month and has made signing Lukaku his top priority.

Conte failed to sign Lukaku during his time at Juventus and at Chelsea in 2017 and is desperate to finally land the Belgium international.

Selling Lukaku is not a priority for United but they will offload the hulking striker if they can recoup their original £75m outlay.

Inter are not in a position to pay that much for the 26-year-old but have been given a boost in their pursuit of Lukaku after the striker's latest words about new manager Conte.

“It’s a good thing that Conte went to Inter, for me he’s the best manager in the world,” Gianluca Di Marzio quote Lukaku as saying on international duty with Belgium.

“Regarding my future, I know it will be a long and buy summer, I have to wait until United but I already made my decision that I can’t communicate publicly out of respect for the contract I have with the Red Devils.

“I was on the verge of joining Juventus in the past, but I sensed something was wrong. Two days later Conte left. Thank God I didn’t go. I’m a big fan of Serie A, those close to me know that I want to play in English and Italian league, I love Italy.

“Now Cristiano Ronaldo arrived, Sarri will go to Juventus, and Ancelotti is at Napoli: it will be an exciting Serie A.”

Lukaku has scored more Premier League goals than any other United player since joining the club in the summer of 2017 (28) but only netted 12 league goals last term.