Chelsea fans will quickly 'be on Lukaku's case' despite interview apology

The Belgian, who joined from Inter for a club record £97.5million during the summer, addressed Blues fans personally on Tuesday and said he is 'sorry for the upset' he has caused following bombshell remarks released after Christmas.

The 28-year-old fell in hot water with Chelsea after telling Sky Sport Italy of his dissatisfaction at the club and his frustration under Thomas Tuchel.

Speaking about his apology, Agbonhalor warned it may take time for Chelsea fans to warm to Lukaku again and insisted the striker's only way of regaining their trust is by doing what he does best: score goals.

"I think when he costs so much money you have to bring him back," the former Premier League star told the talkSPORT Breakfast when asked whether Lukaku could return for Chelsea vs Tottenham.

"You see with [Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick] Aubamayang, he's a bit older, maybe there's not a sell on value with him.

"They can't do that with Lukaku, no matter if the manager wanted to. You've got a £100m asset there, you can't keep him in the Under-23s.

"He has to find a way of getting him back. He apologised to Chelsea TV and it's time to move on.

"But Chelsea fans might find it much harder to forgive than we do and if he's not bang at it against Spurs, they'll start getting on his case.

"We know what fans are like."

The Aston Villa legend continued to suggest that he knows the feeling of being a player frustrated with a lack of minutes, admitting he found it hard to bottle his emotions up when he was a player.

"When I look at it I look at a striker who's been very frustrated," added the ex-Villa captain.

"The interview came after the Manchester United game where he got eight minutes.

"It's his old club and he's going to have wanted to played against them, so he woulld have been furious and done his interview when he's angry.

"We've all been angry as players, sometimes you're a bit too honest when you are and that's what's happened.

"And then he scored two goals in two games and he probably thought: 'I hope that interview don't come out.'

"It's too late but Thomas Tuchel has been leaving him out. Bring him on, start him.

"You paid nearly £100m for a player, he's going to want to be the main man, not coming off the bench.

"He's going to want to be top goalscorer and win things, so I think it's frustration and when you do interviews when you're frustrated, you can be a bit too honest and that's what Lukaku has done."