Inter Milan are reportedly assessing the possibility of re-signing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea in a loan deal with an option to buy.
According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Inter Milan are keen on re-signing Romelu Lukaku just a year after selling the striker to Chelsea and are considering a possible loan-to-buy operation which could end up costing around €65 million in total.
Lukaku spent two successful seasons in Inter Milan after joining them from Manchester United in 2019. The Belgian international spearheaded the Nerazzurri’s charge for the Serie A title success in the 2020/21 campaign before former club Chelsea came calling last summer. The Blues landed the 29-year-old in a club-record deal worth around €115 million.
However, it is safe to say that the transfer has proven to be a major dud as Lukaku has looked like a pale shadow of his former self. The centre-forward has not looked comfortable in Thomas Tuchel’s setup at Stamford Bridge and ended his return campaign with Chelsea with a sub-par tally of just eight goals in 26 Premier League outings.
There has been some friction between Lukaku and Tuchel throughout the season, and with new owners in place, Chelsea have the option of going big for a new striker in the summer. It could lead to the club deciding to offload Lukaku. And his former employers Inter Milan have presented themselves as a potential destination, with the Nerazzurri making him a priority target.
? #Lukaku–#Inter, the current framework for the possible return to ⚫?:
? Onerous loan (about €15M) with buy option between €50/60M
? €7M net
⌚ By the end of JuneNegotiation still difficult, but the parties will try to find a solution. ?⚽ #CFC #Transfers pic.twitter.com/a0tWDn1QF5
— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) May 30, 2022
Inter Milan are reeling from their Serie A title loss to arch-rivals and neighbours AC Milan and are keen on reclaiming the crown next season. To achieve that, Simone Inzaghi’s side are preparing for a crucial summer transfer window, which could see them splash the cash on re-signing Lukaku.
According to Rudy Galetti, under the club’s current financial circumstances, Inter Milan can, at best, hope to sign Lukaku on a loan deal with an option to make the transfer permanent next summer. It is claimed that the Nerazzurri would be looking to pay a loan fee of €15 million this summer, with a potential transfer fee of at least €50 million next season, taking the total value of the operation to €65 million.
On top of that, Inter Milan would be open to offering Lukaku a pay packet of €7 million per year (net). According to Sky Sports, the Nerazzurri are set to meet Lukaku’s lawyer to reopen talks about a return for the Belgian, with club CEO Giuseppe Marotta insisting that they are interested in re-signing him, although the Italian giants are in no rush to get the deal over the line.
Negotiations are expected to be complicated, but with Lukaku willing to take a pay cut to return, Inter Milan keen on making the deal happen, and Chelsea open to sanctioning an exit, all parties could work out a satisfactory arrangement in the coming weeks.
