Inter Milan are preparing to launch a new bid to bring Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku back to Italy, according to reports.
Lukaku spent last season on loan at Inter after rejoining the club following his disastrous 2021-22 campaign at Chelsea.
The Nerazzurri are keen to keep him at the San Siro, but have already had one offer turned down by Chelsea. They are not giving up hope of landing the forward, though, and are set for talks over a fresh bid this week, as reported by The Telegraph.
They are expected to try and take Lukaku back on another season-long loan, but with the option to buy him at the end of it for €30m (£26m).
Chelsea are likely to insist that Inter are obligated to buy Lukaku next summer, which could be a potential sticking point, but Inter are believed to be optimistic that a deal can be struck.
Lukaku has multiple options on the table, with Inter's fierce rivals AC Milan reportedly showing interest in the 30-year-old, while Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have also made a lucrative offer to take him to the Middle East.
A switch to Saudi Arabia would be Chelsea's preference, with the west London club having already offloaded N'Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly to the big-spending nation, and more stars are expected to follow.
However, Lukaku has made it clear he has no intention of moving to Saudi Arabia right now, and has previously claimed he would never join Milan, leaving Inter as his first-choice option.
New Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is set to start work at the beginning of next week, and sorting out Lukaku's future is likely to be high on his priority list.
The Blues fly out for a pre-season tour in the US on July 17, and Pochettino will want to know whether he'll have Lukaku at his disposal for the season ahead by then.
The Belgian striker had a mixed 2022-23 season that saw him struggle in the first part of his loan spell due to a series of injury setbacks.
Heading into the final months of the campaign it looked unlikely that Inter would be interested in keeping him beyond the summer, but he finished strongly by netting seven league goals in as many games to help the side finish third in Serie A and force the club to reconsider.
After being introduced as a second-half substitute in the Champions League final, Lukaku endured a nightmare cameo appearance that saw him block a goal-bound effort from team-mate Federico DiMarco, and then miss a golden opportunity to equalise with a close-range header as Inter fell to a 1-0 defeat against Manchester City.
Despite that showing, Inter still want Lukaku, and are set to make their latest play for him in the coming days.
zakiknrtu
0
we should get atleast 60 million. if not get Lukaku back and put him in bench for the whole season
Ceoaciknpz
0
We need to sell him permanently, I'm tired to hear about him
Zutacdkmr
1
don't negotiate with inter anything. Just pay back the money we give you or half of it. He can stay and play in reserve team
MaddyKotagiri
2
Let him go 🙏🏼
S100K
1
It was only United who was able to sell Lukaku to Inter for £80m while Chelsea signed him for almost £100m and would be selling for for £26m United made a smart business even though they lost about £5m selling him. At least he scored a few goals for United.
honceimopr
0
They think they’re smart, but Lukaku is a foolish big for nothing fool. They’re using him to achieve their aim while he’s using them to escape reality which is a tough work for a striker in EPL, he knows he won’t succeed at Chelsea. Meanwhile they want to wreck Chelsea, he should be sold to Saudi Arabia, get £40-50 Million from him. I dislike Inter and other Serie A clubs because they think they’re smarter than EPL clubs.
Yes lukaku is a f**l he is the one forcing himself on inter he should go to Saudi and save Chelsea some money
honceimopr
1
Like seriously if Chelsea loan this guy to them again then it means they’re the most f**lish team with st*pid boards on earth, you bought someone for 97mills almost 100mills and started loaning him for 6-8million per season and his contract is only remaining 2 season so if Chelsea doesn’t sell now I think it will be difficult by next season he only has 2 yrs left on his Contract
Pohacdlm
2
they should do it fast
Moscowpan
1
Next two Summer by this time it will be a done deal, here we go bla bla bla
lifeofbillings
4
They think they’re smart, but Lukaku is a foolish big for nothing fool. They’re using him to achieve their aim while he’s using them to escape reality which is a tough work for a striker in EPL, he knows he won’t succeed at Chelsea. Meanwhile they want to wreck Chelsea, he should be sold to Saudi Arabia, get £40-50 Million from him. I dislike Inter and other Serie A clubs because they think they’re smarter than EPL clubs.
RS11thebest11
2
Inter is a broke team
Taiwo16
1
So inter Milan still want to keep this big man 🤐
danriwbik
1
I hope it's not a fresh "loan" bid 🤣
odebala1
2
let I ter pay us what we gave them two seasons ago
allfootballisshit
3
ok