Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho wanted to keep Romelu Lukaku this season, it has been revealed.
Lukaku has been a revelation on-loan with Everton and Mourinho snapped yesterday over the Belgian's claims he had not been in touch.
The Daily Mail says the decision to let him leave was a direct consequence of the verbal transfer request. Until that point, Chelsea had been preparing to send Demba Ba on loan.
Arsenal were interested in Ba but refusing to pay a £2million loan fee and, when Lukaku said he wanted out, the club changed its plan and invited loan offers for the young Belgian signed from Anderlecht in 2011.
