Transfer News: Chelsea take decision on Romelu Lukaku with Inter Milan, PSG interested in a summer move
It is claimed by 90min (h/t Football.London) that Chelsea are prepared to let 28-year-old flop Romelu Lukaku leave the club in the summer, with Inter Milan and PSG both keen on signing him.
The Belgian striker made a club-record return to Stamford Bridge last summer but things have not gone according to plan. We already had Timo Werner as a striker but going out to get a Scudetto winner in Lukaku meant he was tipped to lead our line in the near future.
But that has not happened so far, with Kai Havertz pipping both Werner and the ex-Manchester United striker in the starting XI at times. The fact that Tuchel benched Lukaku in the Carabao Cup final speaks volumes about where the forward stands in his pecking order.
Lukaku claimed in an infamous interview with Sky Italia that he was not happy at Chelsea and questioned Tuchel’s system. This interview, which took place in December 2021, certainly didn’t sit well with fans and has left a sour taste in their mouths.
Rom wasn’t built in a day…
Things have only gone downhill for him since then. The former Everton and Anderlecht hitman is yet to score a Premier League goal in 2022. While he has scored three times in the FA Cup and 2 in the FIFA Club World Cup this season, that same form has vanished in the UEFA Champions League and the PL.
Inter had a rosy spell with Lukaku- winning the Serie A title last season with Antonio Conte in charge. Both of them left for London last summer, with the Italian manager now at Tottenham Hotspur. But it seems like the Nerazzurri are keen to reunite with the star striker.
Felipe Caicedo and Alexis Sanchez are already 33 while Edin Dzeko is in the twilight of his career at 36. Lukaku would also have the chance to re-join Lautaro Martinez at Inter if he makes the move to Simone Inzaghi’s team. But Chelsea would also be aware of their own situation.
Apart from Werner, the club doesn’t have a natural number nine- despite Havertz often playing as a centre-forward or a false 9. Having let Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud leave for Serie A last year, the club would lack depth up front if Lukaku leaves and we bring in no new attackers into the first team this summer.
Read More:
- Transfer News: Atletico Madrid want Chelsea to sign Saul Niguez on a permanent deal
- Barcelona are close to signing Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta
- Juventus are interested in signing Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga
It seems that the club would be too impatient if they pull the plug on Lukaku’s Chelsea stay this summer. If any club can match the £97.5m the Blues paid for him last year, then perhaps fans could make more sense of such a potential exit. But until then, it seems like a better call to give him a bit more time to strut his stuff.
