The €21m Newcastle move that failed at the final hurdle - Former Toon target speaks out

Former Serie A star Jordan Lukaku has admitted he “knew he was going to fail” his medical over a planned move to Rafa Benitez's Newcastle United back in January 2019

Lukaku, who was at Lazio at the time, was the target of a proposed €21m transfer to join Benitez’s side over five years ago, but a number of issues appeared to have hindered any chance of the Belgian joining the Magpies.

Speaking to So Foot, Lukaku has opened up about how he likely would have failed a medical if one took place, saying: “Before the medical examination in England, I had relapsed against Naples. I knew that I was going to fail, but I still went there to show Lazio that I wasn’t finished. Benítez wanted me, I even took the photo, but once again the injuries caught up with me.”

The 30-year-old, who currently plays for Turkish side Adanaspor, has also criticised Lazio’s then-sporting director for believing he had “no choice but to stay.”

“They had allowed Durmisi to leave the club, so I couldn’t leave, otherwise Lulić would find himself alone at the left-back position. It was healthy competition despite his captaincy, I was playing. What I didn’t like was Lazio’s speech.”

“The sporting director thought that in any case, I had no choice but to stay, because according to him, the clubs would not come for me. The next day I brought an offer of €21m from Newcastle just to show him.”

The failure to sign Lukaku could explain Newcastle’s subsequent approach to sign Antonio Barreca on loan from AS Monaco in the same January 2019 window as the failed medical.

Lukaku only went on to make eight appearances in all competitions that season, as Simone Inzaghi’s Lazio would go on to lift the Coppa Italia.