Inter Milan hoping to keep Romelu Lukaku after talks with Chelsea
According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Metro), Serie A giants Inter Milan are hoping to extend the loan deal of striker Romelu Lukaku after talks with Chelsea.
After a horrible season back at Chelsea post the £97.5m move from Inter in the summer of 2021, Lukaku was loaned back to the Nerazzurri last summer.
Since then, the Belgium international has had a difficult time, with injuries and overall lack of fitness having meant him not being able to repeat what he used to do for Inter during his previous stint there.
If we look at the 29-year-old’s numbers for this campaign, he has only played 474 minutes for the Italian side in all competitions, scoring two goals and assisting one. He went to the World Cup and missed the first game and had a horrendous appearance off the bench where he missed four chances to fire Belgium into the knockout stage.
Despite all of that, Inter is keen on keeping Lukaku for another season on loan. But, they would want to agree on a deal with Chelsea for half the price they paid last summer, which was €7.8m plus add-ons.
The Belgian has no ambition of going back to Stamford Bridge too after the end of this season. So, on mutual terms, this deal may happen once again in the coming summer.
Looking at the type and age of players targeted by the Blues in the last transfer window, it is difficult to think they would want to recall a striker, who is going to turn 30 soon, to play some part next season.
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Moreover, Lukaku had a terrible time last season and this year has shown no signs of him improving thus far. Hence, even though Chelsea could do with a striker in the summer, they should look somewhere else to fill that gap.
