Inter Milan have reportedly pulled out of the race for Romelu Lukaku after the striker held talks with Juventus, which has proved bothersome.
According to Ben Jacobs via Gianluca Di Marzio, Inter Milan have pulled out of the race for Romelu Lukaku. The Serie A giants were seemingly irritated by the striker after he held talks with rivals Juventus, who have already made a sizeable bid to Chelsea for the 14-goal star.
The Romelu Lukaku transfer saga took another twisted turn as Inter Milan reportedly pulled out of the race altogether. The Belgian seemed intent on joining the Nerazzuri after a decent loan spell. The feeling was mutual, but recent developments have proved catastrophic for the 14-goal Chelsea star.
Chelsea have no interest in keeping Lukaku and want to sell him as soon as possible. The striker has not even held any talks with Mauricio Pochettino, further signalling their intention to sell.
The Blues are ready to take a massive hit on his €100 million-plus transfer fee and sell him for a reasonable price in this window. Inter Milan were deep in talks with Chelsea, having made a decent offer early on. The Premier League side seemed displeased by the proposal and possibly asked for more.
Inter have seemingly pulled out of a deal for Romelu Lukaku after being irritated by the player talking to Juventus, as @DiMarzio called.
Chelsea haven’t yet been informed but they are expected to be soon. Lukaku due back for pre-season at #CFC on Monday.🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/Svx67vRj28
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 15, 2023
Inter Milan then bid €35 million plus €5 million for the 14-goal Chelsea star, which the club reportedly considered. However, Juventus suddenly entered the race and made a better bid worth €37.5 million plus €2.5 million in bonuses.
The latest development has irked Inter Milan as they did not anticipate Lukaku holding talks with rivals Juventus. They have no interest in pursuing the deal further, which could leave the Belgian’s departure in the balance.
That is because Juventus’ bid seems conditional on them selling striker Dusan Vlahovic before August 4. If that fails, Lukaku might remain at Chelsea until another club comes in for his signature, which at the moment seems non-existent.
He does not want to join the Saudi League and had repeatedly pointed out a desire to rejoin Inter. The Nerazzuri will not have taken the talks with Juventus lightly, and the chances of a return may seem less. The San Siro outfit could now look at other options, including Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun as an alternative to the 14-goal Chelsea star.
As for Chelsea, they do not want to wait for Juventus’ August 4 deadline and desire a sale now. Recently, Lukaku was also given an extended period to figure out his transfer. But, as things stand, the Belgian will return to Chelsea training on Monday, July 17. He will part-take alongside many other transfer-listed stars like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
