Solskjaer wants Romelu Lukaku to remain at Man United for another season – Sun

Posted Wednesday, July 10, 2019 by 101 GREAT GOALS

As per a report from the Sun, Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is attempting to convince Romelu Lukaku to remain with the club this summer.

Lukaku's second season struggles

26-year-old hitman Lukaku made the move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2017 for a hefty £75 million fee.

However, following a solid debut campaign in Manchester, during which he notched an impressive 27 goals across all competitions, the Belgian subsequently struggled to replicate such form last season.

All told, Lukaku managed 15 goals for the Red Devils, though 6 of these came during a 3-game purple patch between the end of February and beginning of March.

In addition, crucially, the all-round centre-forward play of the former Chelsea man left a lot to be desired.

Inter bound?

As such, Lukaku's struggles have led to inevitable rumours that the Belgian could be on the move this summer, amid claims of a potential Manchester United squad overhaul.

In fact, James Ducker of the Telegraph claimed all the way back in April that the board at Old Trafford were ready to listen to offers for their burly hitman:

#MUFC are prepared to listen to offers for Lukaku, who is open to a move. Was put firmly in the shop window by his representative this month. A sale would depend on someone being able to stump up a huge fee and finance his £255,000 a week wages though https://t.co/qLHCuBZhge
— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) 20 April 2019

Of the clubs to have been named as potential summer destinations for Lukaku, meanwhile, Italian outfit Inter Milan have been the most heavily-linked.

Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte replaced Luciano Spalletti on the bench at the San Siro in May.

And Conte is said to have identified Lukaku as a key summer target.

Mauro Icardi's Inter future appears far from certain as things stand, with Lukaku viewed as an ideal replacement.

'A dream'

The Manchester United hitman himself, meanwhile, recently opened the door to a move to Serie A.

Solskjaer wants Romelu Lukaku to remain at Man United for another season – Sun
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 10: Bernd Leno of Arsenal reaches for the ball as Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United shoots during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on March 10, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Speaking in an interview with Sky Italia's Lords of Football, Lukaku explained:

'Playing in Serie A is a dream. It would really be a dream.'

'I hope to be able to play sooner or later. Even if at the moment I am focused on United.'

Solskjaer's plea

To this point, however, an Old Trafford exit has not come to fruition for the Belgian.

Manchester United's hefty demands are said to be holding up any potential sale, with the Red Devils keen to recoup most, if not all of the £75 million that they splashed out on Lukaku two years ago.

And, despite rumours over the last 48 hours that Juventus have joined Serie A rivals Inter in the race for the hitman's signature, the latest updates stemming from the English media this evening suggest that Lukaku could yet be set for an Old Trafford stay.

According to the Sun, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now attempting to convince the 26-year-old that he remains a part of his plans for next season.

Lukaku was reportedly informed that, should he stay put, the once-prolific Belgian will be handed the chance to reclaim his first-choice status in 2019/20.

It remains to be seen, though, how receptive Lukaku will be to the opportunity.

Solskjaer begs Lukaku to stay at Man Utd for one more year and take his chance next season https://t.co/796rJCFVc3
— Sun Sport (@SunSport) 9 July 2019