Inter Milan’s ultras have issued a brutal response to Romelu Lukaku after the striker apologised for the manner of his departure from the San Siro.

Lukaku left Inter in the summer to rejoin Chelsea in a £97.5m move but the forward has recently admitted that he is “unhappy” with his role at Stamford Bridge and wants to return to the Italian club in the future.

Inter’s ultras Curva Nord appear to be unimpressed by Lukaku’s apology after hanging a banner outside the San Siro which, when translated, reads: “It doesn’t matter who runs away in the rain, it matters who stays in the storm.

“Bye Romelu.”

The 28-year-old has struggled to replicate that form since returning to the Premier League and has now admitted that he regrets the way his Inter career ended.

In an interview recorded several weeks ago but released on Thursday, Lukaku told Sky Sport Italia: “I don’t think any of it should have happened the way it did. The way I left Inter and the way I communicated with the Inter fans.

“I’m annoyed about that because it’s not the right time now but it wasn’t the right time when I left either.

I always said that I love Inter and I’ll play for them again. I really hope so. I fell in love with Italy.

“Now is the right time to talk about it and tell people what really happened, without saying anything bad about anyone, because I’m not like that.

“I want to really apologise to the Inter fans because I don’t think I should have left Inter the way I did. I should have spoken to you guys first, especially after everything you did for me, for my family, my mum, my son. I’ll never forget that.

“I hope from the bottom of my heart to go back to Inter and not at the end of my career but when I’m still at a good enough level to win more trophies.”