Chelsea have reportedly agreed on a club-record €115 million transfer fee to re-sign 28-year-old Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan.
According to a report by The Athletic, Chelsea are inching closer to completing a blockbuster transfer for Inter Milan’s prolific forward Romelu Lukaku in a deal worth around €115 million mark.
The 28-year-old, who played for Chelsea from 2011 to 2014, is likely to be tied down on a five-year contract which will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2026. Lukaku will be earning around €230,000 per week, which will effectively make him the highest-paid player at Stamford Bridge as a result.
Italian expert Fabrizio Romano has also posted an update on Twitter, where he stresses that the deal is nearing completion and that documentation is still left to be signed. The rumours have been mongering all over the past week, with negotiations underway between Chelsea and Inter over Lukaku.
It is understood that Inter were asking for €120 million and were adamant about dealing only in cash and have previously rejected the player swap proposals. After Chelsea’s €100 million bid got rejected last week by Inter, the Blues upped their offer, and both the parties have finally agreed on the mighty €115 million price tag.
The Belgian was inspirational last term, netted 24 goals and registered 11 assists, leading the Nerazzurri’s to their first Scudetto in eleven years. Lukaku clearly possesses a lot of English top-flight experience, having scored 113 goals and assisted further 35 times in just 252 Premier League appearances, which averages out to be 0.58 goal involvement per game.
Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea, confirmed and here we go! The agreement is set to be completed after further talks. €115m to Inter and no players included. Paperworks to be signed once details are fixed. ?? #CFC
Lukaku will sign a long-term contract for €12m + add ons. ?? #Chelsea pic.twitter.com/N47ksuRGpM
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 7, 2021
He had a really testing period at Manchester after completing a big-money switch to Manchester United from Everton. However, since he moved to Italy, Lukaku has resurrected his career, and under the tutelage of Antonio Conte, he transformed himself into one of the elite strikers on the planet.
Alhough Chelsea have won the Champions League title, their goal-shy frontline has hardly ever been convincing, which was their main issue; seven teams scored more than them in the Premier League. Jorginho was the Blues’ leading scorer in the league last season, with all seven of his goals coming from the penalty spot.
Timo Werner has struggled to make an impact since joining from RB Leipzig last summer, scoring only six league goals in his debut season. Chelsea’s inability to score more goals can hinder their title charge in the upcoming season, which is why it is vital for them to address the issue by getting a recognized striker known for scoring loads of goals and capable of leading a relatively young frontline.
Lukaku could prove to be a massive signing for the Blues and worth the gold investing in; he is a 20-goal a season striker at the very least and the answer for their goalscoring problems. The 28-year-old ought to make Chelsea genuine title contenders, and his leadership qualities will help Chelsea’s young guns to thrive under pressure.
Lukaku’s presence may even benefit Werner, who played off a physically strong forward in Yussuf Poulsen at Leipzig. Lukaku’s hold-up play and his commanding presence in the final third would be a welcome boost for struggling Werner.
In Lukaku, Chelsea are getting a totally different beast to the one who left for Italy a few years back; a more mature, diligent, responsible and disciplined player. It looks like the deal is imminent and in advanced stages, with a €115 million club-record transfer set to be completed soon.
