Chelsea
Premier League • England
Chelsea flop in plea to Serie A giants but new proposal not certain to secure desired solution
A report in Italy claims Romelu Lukaku does not want to return to Chelsea and is willing to take a pay cut to stay at Inter Milan.
The 29-year-old is currently on a one-year loan with the Nerazzurri. He joined Chelsea for a second time in the summer of 2021 for club record fee of £97.5m. However, the Belgium international did not live up to the size of his price tag, netting only eight top-flight goals from 26 appearances.
The former Manchester United hitman scored 15 in all competitions but caused controversy when suggesting he was unhappy at Stamford Bridge.
In an interview with Sky Italia, he expresses a desire to return to Inter. And the powerful forward got his wish last summer, inking a loan deal with the Serie A giants.
Inter reportedly paid a loan fee of around £7m for his services. But, once again, the ex-Everton star’s displays have not matched his billing, with just three goals from 15 league outings.
He bagged 64 goals from 95 appearances during his previous two-year stint at the San Siro.
And, having started only nine league games this, the man with 106 Belgium caps is tipped to return to west London.
It is said that Inter do not want to keep him beyond the terms of his present loan contract.
However, Tuttosport are reporting that Lukaku is eager to remain in his current surroundings next season.
And the Italian outlet state he is happy to take a pay cut on his reported €12m salary to stay at the club. Whether Inter are prepared to play ball on that proposal only time will tell.
Lukaku could be in limbo
It has been all change since Lukaku left Chelsea in June 2022. The Blues parted company with Thomas Tuchel and snared Graham Potter from Brighton.
Despite a decent start to his reign, the 47-year-old has struggled. Chelsea have won just ten of 27 Premier League matches to sit tenth in the standings.
They have little chance of finishing in the top four, with Potter under immense pressure at the Bridge.
Many pundits feel Todd Boehly will stick with his manager until the summer before making a change at the top.
And that means Lukaku’s future is even more uncertain, as any new boss might not want the Antwerp-born striker in the ranks.
News that he might lower his personal terms means there is a chance Inter may look to secure another loan deal. But he has hardly taken the Italian top flight by storm.
They will need to alter their stance on the player. Reports suggest coach Simone Inzaghi does not want him to remain.
Chelsea are unlikely to receive substantial bids for a player whose star appears to be on the wane.
Therefore, they might be stuck with a misfiring player if he does return to the capital in June.
Lukaku is under contract at Chelsea until the summer of 2026. Fabrizio Romano reported earlier this month that Chelsea do not see him in their long-term plans.
And Aston Villa have been mentioned in connection with the ex-Anderlecht star.
His future is very much up in the air but it seems unlikely he will wear the blue of Chelsea ever again.
Victor Osimhen has been linked and his arrival would be the death knell for Lukaku’s Chelsea career.