Chelsea have been rebuffed in their attempts to sign Romelu Lukaku, with Inter Milan valuing the forward at around £94 million to £102 million.
A recent report from Sky Sports has offered an update on Chelsea’s pursuit of Romelu Lukaku. The European champions are determined to bring the forward back to Stamford Bridge, but their £85 million proposal has been knocked back by Inter Milan.
The highly-rated striker is believed to be deemed as “untouchable” by the Nerazzurri, although the Serie A club’s chairman Steven Zhang is open to the idea of a potential sale if Chelsea meet the £94 million to £102 million mark. Inter are indeed facing a financial crisis and may need to further reduce their wage bill, despite sanctioning the sale of Achraf Hakimi.
Formerly of Chelsea youth academy, Lukaku joined Inter Milan back in 2019 for a fee of £66 million. It has proven to be a bargain for the Italian giants, with the Belgian international netting 64 goals in just under 100 competitive appearances since. 24 of those goals came in the 2020/21 Serie A campaign as he helped Inter seal the elusive Scudetto.
However, Lukaku’s future at San Siro remains doubts following the departure of Antonio Conte. It remains unsure how new coach Simone Inzaghi intends to utilise the 28-year-old powerhouse, although the player himself had voiced his desire to remain with the Serie A giants earlier this summer.
It could serve as a major blow for Chelsea in their attempts to sign a new forward. The newly crowned European champs have recently sanctioned the exit of Olivier Giroud, whereas Tammy Abraham has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, with Arsenal emerging as a potential destination.
Timo Werner, too, is reportedly keen on returning to the Bundesliga, effectively forcing Thomas Tuchel to enter the market for a new centre-forward. Chelsea’s primary target has been Erling Haaland, but the Borussia Dortmund superstar commands a hefty price tag.
The same can be said for Harry Kane, although it appears the Tottenham Hotspur forward is closing in on a move to Manchester City this summer. It leaves Lukaku as the only other star option for Chelsea in the market, but with Inter Milan unwilling to negotiate anything under their desired price tag, they have to splurge the extra cash.
Should Chelsea pay €120 million for Romelu Lukaku? | THT Opinions
As such, the Blues’ pursuit of Lukaku may ultimately hinge on any potential departures. One of the potential candidates to leave Chelsea this summer is Marcos Alonso, but the left-back is wanted by Sevilla in the deal to sign Jules Kounde, another top target for the Londoners. It remains to be seen if the 28-year-old returns to Chelsea this summer.
