Inter Milan will reportedly hold talks with Chelsea over Romelu Lukaku’s future following the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Inter are set to hold a meeting with Romelu Lukaku’s parent club Chelsea immediately after the Champions League final on June 10 to discuss the feasible options surrounding the Belgian’s future with the Nerazzurri.
The Belgian striker is currently on loan with the Nerazzurri for the 2022–23 season from Chelsea, having struggled for form and fitness during his return to Stamford Bridge for a then-club-record fee of £100 million.
He struggled to adjust to the tactical demands of Thomas Tuchel in West London, leading to just 15 goals in 44 appearances. He was then shipped back to Inter for a €12 million loan fee, with the potential for performance-related add-ons.
The hope was that Lukaku could re-find the form he showed at Inter during his previous two-year spell at San Siro when he scored 64 goals to lead the club to a Serie A title.
Lukaku’s season back in Italy has not been as successful as his previous two. This season has been marred by injury and fitness issues, but his performances have improved significantly over the last two months, contributing to 13 goals and six assists in 34 appearances for Inter during the 2022–23 campaign.
He has scored some clutch goals for Inter in the Champions League and Coppa Italia, rediscovering his chemistry with Lautaro Martinez. Inter’s top brass have also reopened the door when it comes to Lukaku’s future, with the club impressed by his form since returning from injury.
Recent reports about incoming Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino have made it clear that he is interested in bringing the striker back to the club. On the other hand, the Belgian himself has hinted that he does not want to return to Chelsea and would prefer to remain with Inter Milan.
“I was good at Chelsea last season. But I knew then that if it didn’t work out at Chelsea, I still had Inter. When I signed again, I knew: I belong here. I take this club seriously. I want to do my best. The people here see that. Being encouraged here is the best thing there is,” he said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, as quoted by 90min.
As per a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea still values their prized asset in the region of €70 million in terms of his amortised transfer fee and will be reluctant to make any further losses on their original investment. Inter’s weak financial position means they would like it to be another loan deal, but this time on a lowered fee, and would need the striker to reduce his wages.
There is also the question of whether Chelsea would agree to another loan deal, as letting him go out on loan for a small fee again would represent a big capital loss on Chelsea’s books, which are not in good condition after free-spending in the past two windows. It’s a really complex situation, and more clarity is expected to arrive from both clubs in the coming weeks.
