Chelsea want veteran outcast to seek Saudi Arabian switch if all other avenues fail this summer.
According to TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t The Sun), even though Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku wants to return to Serie A, his dream return might not be fulfilled this summer due to strict tax regulations.
Despite leading the Chelsea scoring charts this season, his displays have been largely underwhelming and unbecoming of a player they paid £97.5million for in the summer. He has scored a total of 15 goals and provided two assists in 44 appearances, which is a step down from his previous spell with Inter Milan where he led them to the Serie A title.
The Belgian is interested in a return to Italy where he had enjoyed some of the best years of his career. Juventus and AC Milan are interested in signing him but the Italian tax laws make it difficult for any team to loan him.
It seems the Italian teams can apply for a 50% tax cut on players’ salaries. However, they can’t take advantage of the rule if the player has completed only one year abroad. On top of that, they should have a contract period of three years or more. Lukaku’s significant pay package at Chelsea makes it difficult for any Italian team to take him on loan.
Inter Milan are believed to be interested in permanently signing the Belgian star. However, as Chelsea are unlikely to demand anything less than the amount they paid for him in 2021, the probability of such a move seems highly unlikely.
Considering the Blues paid a significant amount on the transfer of the 29-year-old, the Blues might be inclined to retain faith in the striker. Hence, the West London outfit might not be comfortable in losing such a high-value player after such a short spell.
But, keeping him at the club against his will wouldn’t be any help to the team’s future plans. He might not be motivated enough to give his best performance in such circumstances and mostly be sitting on the bench. Hence, Thomas Tuchel’s team might be better off offloading him if the striker has such intentions.
Lukaku’s Italian return seems to be filled with complications. However, it all comes down to Chelsea’s transfer approach and future plans. The Blues have the power to agree to a cut-price deal in order to let him leave. Whether they make such a move is a big question.
Chelsea should focus on communicating with the Belgian star after the takeover completes to learn his intentions and to understand whether his plans align with the best interests of the club.
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