Mauricio Pochettino opens door to shock Chelsea transfer U-turn

Chelsea transfer news: Mauricio Pochettino was claimed to have snubbed Romelu Lukaku over the summer, but could a U-turn be on the cards?

The 30-year-old was added to the squad in 2021 for a fee worth roughly £97.5million, adding a proven goal scorer to the ranks after Champions League success. While his early form seemed ideal, a bout of Covid and injuries seriously hindered his ability to kick on and score more.

Eventually, a Sky Italia interview was released in which the striker claimed he would like a return to Inter Milan in his prime, while also hitting out at tactics used by the manager at the time - Thomas Tuchel. The second half of that campaign saw Lukaku used sporadically and an exit followed in the summer with a loan switch to Inter Milan.

Fast forward a year and the experienced striker is back in London, with the Blues still deciding the best way to secure an exit this summer. The Nerazzurri seem unlikely to return, a bid from the Saudi Pro League was rejected by the player and a switch to Juventus is tricky ground to tread due to rivalry links.

With that in mind, perhaps a stay and integration into the squad is on the cards for Lukaku at Chelsea in the coming weeks. That's because, according to Di Marzio, Pochettino is claimed to be open to speak with the forward this summer about a possible return to the first-team.

That may be as a result of the side's inability to add elsewhere in the market married with their inability to move on the Belgian this summer. Folarin Balogun was one option eyed at Arsenal, though a deal seems unlikely at this stage given the Gunners are looking for a club-record sale.

It remains to be seen whether Lukaku still has a future at Stamford Bridge after everything that has been and gone, but his chapter at the club may not be completely written yet.