...WHILE IN ITALY, LUKAKU OPENS UP ON PROBLEMS OF LIFE UNDER LOCKDOWN

ROMELU LUKAKU has opened up on life under lockdown in Italy due to the coronavirus.

The former Manchester United striker, now with Inter Milan, revealed the Serie A club bought the entire squad exercise bikes to help keep them fit at home during the enforced lay-off.

Inter’s players are also having meals prepared by the club and delivered to their homes on a daily basis, to ensure they maintain their strict diets while football is suspended.

Lukaku has been in quarantine since last week, as Italy remains on lockdown because of the coronavirus, with the country the worst hit in Europe – and Milan in the worst-affected region.

The Belgium star, who joined from United for £75million last summer, said: “I can’t go outside, I can’t train, it’s been nine days now.

“They got me a bike because, obviously in Milan, all the players live in the city centre, in small apartments and stuff, so I didn’t have the space.

“So yesterday, in a group chat, they asked the players, ‘Who doesn’t have a treadmill or bike at their house?

“Loads of players were like, ‘Me, me, me’ and two hours later they bought every player a bike.

“I’m on a strict diet. Loads of the team live around here, so every day around 12pm they send somebody from the training ground to give us the food, so we keep our strict diet.

“So I’m still on my fish and stuff, veggies and all that.”

Lukaku, 26, also revealed he is unable to see his mother, who suffers from diabetes, and his young son. “I just miss the regular life,” he added.

“Being with my mum, being with my son, being with my brother. I’m thinking about everybody. It’s bad because you can’t have normal contact with other human beings.

“I miss training, I miss playing games in front of fans and now you start appreciating what you have.”

Lukaku, who has scored 23 goals in 35 games for Inter this season, opened up in a Youtube interview with BBC pundit and former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright.

“Now you have to be careful with everybody, because you might touch somebody and that other person might have the virus,” said Lukaku.

“I can’t go home, my mum has diabetes, and they are the people who have a higher risk of getting into trouble if they get it, so I can’t even go home and touch her – or my son.

“My mum is not even going out now. My brother and I were like, ‘You’re not going out, no chance’.

“She’s just going in the back yard or, late at night, she goes and takes a walk and then she comes back.”