Jose relationship is ‘perfect’

conversation after the game where we were both disappointed that we lost the game and I said to him I’m looking forward to next season to see the team he is going to prepare to hopefully challenge Man City.”

Mourinho’s reaction after the final led to suggestions that his relationship with Lukaku had been damaged after he effectively accused the player of pulling out of a game that represented United’s last chances of silverware for the campaign.

But yesterday, Lukaku, 25, moved quickly to downplay suggestions of a rift with Mourinho.

He said: “Everybody is now thinking the manager and I have a big issue but it’s not like that.

“We have a perfect relationship. We had a little chat after the game and everything clear.”

Lukaku injured his ankle in a win over Arsenal at the end of April with United scoring just once in the four games that followed.

He did manage a brief but ineffective 17-minute run-out at Wembley and has just returned to full training with Roberto Martinez’s Belgium squad as they prepare for Russia, although Lukaku insists he is now fit and is all ready for the World Cup. “Everything is well now,” he said. “Obviously I only trained the last two days properly before the final, I’d say the last day.

“Then I had a week off, then I came back yesterday where I had to do a physical exercise, a running session with the other players who didn’t come in for the week.

“And today I did my first training session with the group and it went really well.”