Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has made Chelsea star Romelu Lukaku as his No. 1 target, with the Lilywhites having an advantage over Inter Milan in the race.
According to Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, as relayed by Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is keen on a reunion with Romelu Lukaku and wants to sign him from under the noses of Inter Milan, with Chelsea open to a sale.
Lukaku returned to Chelsea last summer, joining on a club-record deal worth €115 million from Inter Milan. The Belgian international had been a roaring success during his two-year spell in Italy but has failed to carry that form at Stamford Bridge, managing a below-par tally of just eight goals in 26 Premier League upon his return.
Given Lukaku’s struggles and inability to adapt to Thomas Tuchel’s system has meant that his future has become an intense subject of transfer speculation. A return to Inter Milan has been heavily mooted with the Nerazzurri keen on re-signing their former superstar, while the 29-year-old himself is believed to be open to the prospect of a move back to San Siro.
However, Tottenham have emerged as potential dark horses in the race to sign Lukaku, thanks to their manager Antonio Conte. It was the Italian who first took Lukaku to Inter Milan in 2019 and extracted the best out of him in their two years together with the Nerazzurri. Now he is eyeing a reunion with the Belgian international in north London.
Tottenham have no options in the No. 9 role beyond superstar Harry Kane and adding another top-quality centre-forward will be key to their ambitions of challenging the top two sides in Manchester City and Liverpool while achieving progress on the continental stages. And, Conte, to that end, has narrowed in on Lukaku as his No. 1 target as per the report.
The report further states that Tottenham might have an edge over Inter Milan in pursuit of the Chelsea star, as the Italian giants are not in the pinkest of health when it comes to finances, which could dampen their chances of landing the Belgian international in the summer.
It has been claimed that Lukaku already has a contract agreement with Inter Milan, with the striker willing to take a pay cut to return to his old stomping ground. However, at the same time, he might have trouble saying no to his former mentor in Conte, who is keen on pairing up the Belgian with Lukaku.
Chelsea, for their part, could have reservations about selling Lukaku to a direct rival. But considering Tottenham’s superior financial position compared to Inter Milan, they might benefit from letting the Belgian join their London rivals. So, it remains to be seen how this transfer saga unfolds in the coming days, with Lukaku ready to force his way out of Chelsea.