Chelsea have reportedly submitted a ‘tempting’ contract offer for Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku, but the Belgian international is likely to stay put.
According to information from Andreas Korssund, corroborated by Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Chelsea have made a substantial contract offer for former striker Romelu Lukaku as they see him as an alternative for primary target Erling Haaland.
Lukaku spent three years on the books of Chelsea, having arrived as a promising prospect from RSC Anderlecht in 2011 but never really got a look-in in the first-team. After loan stints with West Bromwich Albion and Everton, he joined the latter permanently in 2014 and grew into one of the best strikers in the Premier League.
Lukaku then signed for Manchester United in 2017 and enjoyed a productive two-year stint before Inter Milan picked him up in 2019. Since moving to Italy, the 28-year-old has taken his game to a whole new level, firmly establishing himself as one of the leading marksmen in the game currently.
Lukaku led Inter Milan to their first Serie A title in over a decade in the 2020/21 campaign and impressed with the Belgian national team at the UEFA Euro 2020. His exploits with the Nerazzurri, coupled with their own financial issues, have landed the 28-year-old on the radars of former club Chelsea this summer.
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Chelsea are in the market for a new centre-forward as they look to build on their UEFA Champions League triumph. With Timo Werner enduring a mixed debut season, Olivier Giroud departing to AC Milan and Tammy Abraham also seemingly headed for the exit doors, a new, prolific goalscorer becomes a necessity for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
To that end, Erling Haaland has been identified as the top transfer target. But a move for the 21-year-old is proving to be tricky due to Borussia Dortmund’s stance on the Norwegian. As a result, Chelsea are keeping their options open with Lukaku emerging as a Plan B for the Blues, with Korssund and Galetti both claiming that the club have already made a tempting contract offer for the Belgian.
However, despite their efforts, a move for Lukaku seems unlikely to materialise. Indeed, Inter’s CEO, Giuseppe Marotta, has made the club’s stance clear on the matter, stating that the Belgian will remain a part of the team for next season. “Can Lukaku be considered non-transferable? From our side, yes, absolutely,” he said in a recent interview.
In addition to that, an exclusive report from the Express claims that despite Chelsea’s lucrative offer, Lukaku is happy to stay at Inter Milan and fight for another title. So, as things stand, the Blues’ efforts to bring the 28-year-old back to Stamford Bridge are likely to prove futile. It now remains to be seen if they will have better luck in their pursuit of Haaland.
