Romelu Lukaku has reportedly been valued at £100 million by Inter Milan amid interest from Barcelona and Chelsea over a summer move.
According to a report by Daily Star, Inter Milan might have to cash in on one of Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku to recoup financial losses borne out of the coronavirus pandemic. To that end, the Nerazzurri have slapped a £100 million price tag on Lukaku, who is pursued by Barcelona and Chelsea among other big-name suitors.
Lukaku has turned his career around since joining Inter Milan from Manchester United in the summer of 2019, having been at a crossroads at the end of the 2018/19 season. Now one of the most feared strikers in all of Europe, the Belgian international has added elements to his game and become a more well-rounded striker.
Till date, the 27-year-old has amassed 85 appearances for the Serie A heavyweights, with a fine tally of 59 goals and 13 assists to show for his efforts. His exploits have put him on the radars of some of the biggest clubs in the world including Barcelona and former club Chelsea, and it appears as if a big summer move could be in the offing for Lukaku.
Barcelona are in the market for a central striker after having not replaced Luis Suarez, who joined Atletico Madrid last summer. Suarez’s departure has left Ronald Koeman with Martin Braithwaite as the only natural striker in his squad, with the Dane only being a rotation option for the Catalans.
As a result, Barcelona are scouring the market for possible options to bolster their striking options, with Lukaku one of the targets that have been identified. Of late, though, Chelsea have also emerged in the race to sign the Belgian powerhouse in the summer transfer window.
While Erling Haaland is believed to be the priority target for the Blues, a pursuit of the Norwegian prodigy is complicated due to the fierce competition as well as his desire to join Real Madrid. With the addition of a new striker having become imperative for Chelsea due to the struggles of Timo Werner, it is, therefore, prudent for them to identify alternatives for Haaland.
To that end, the west Londoners have set their sights on Lukaku over a possible move this summer. In addition to Barcelona and Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid are also eager to sign the 27-year-old. However, the suitors will have to splash the big bucks to land him, with Inter Milan slapping a £100 million price tag on their prized possession.
While their priority would invariably be to retain the services of their star striker, the Nerazzurri’s precarious financial situation could force them to cash in on Lukaku. Having said that, it will be interesting to see if Chelsea are willing to meet the £100 million valuation, which should put Barcelona out of the running to sign him, in theory, considering their own financial struggles.