Chelsea make Romelu Lukaku transfer decision as Inter Milan plot fresh round of talks

Posted Friday, October 21, 2022 by Express.co.uk

Chelsea flop Romelu Lukaku looks set to remain at Inter Milan for at least another season.

Chelsea will try to sell Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan before his loan deal at the San Siro expires in the summer, according to reports. The Blues signed Lukaku for a club-record fee last year but returned him to Inter Milan on a temporary basis in June after his arrival failed to have the desired impact at the top of the pitch.

Lukaku expressed a desire to go back to the San Siro just months after signing a long-term deal at Chelsea and got his wish over the summer, with former Blues manager Thomas Tuchel having deemed him surplus to requirements.The Belgian forward has been restricted to just three Serie A appearances this season after picking up a muscle injury, but it seems as though he will have plenty of additional time to make an impact for Inter Milan over the next few years.

There is already an agreement in principle to extend Lukaku's loan deal for another season, but Inter Milan are planning to negotiate with Chelsea to secure his services on a permanent basis in the not-too-distant future, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. It is claimed that Chelsea have decided that an exit for Lukaku is the best solution for all parties, with those in west London adamant that 'the disappointment' of last season was 'too great to think about trying again'.

Inter Milan paid Chelsea around £7million plus another £2.6m in add-ons for Lukaku until the end of the season and are eager to negotiate a similar deal for the 2023/24 campaign, with the additional inclusion of an option to buy. They are said to be hell-bent on striking a permanent agreement for Lukaku, the value of which is unlikely to see Chelsea recoup anything like the £97.5m they paid for him just over a year ago.

Chelsea make Romelu Lukaku transfer decision as Inter Milan plot fresh round of talks
Inter Milan are reportedly aiming to sign Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis (Image: GETTY)

Lukaku is still a hero at the San Siro after scoring 64 goals in 95 appearances before rejoining Chelsea last summer and remains determined to stay with the Italian giants for the foreseeable future as things stand. He only scored eight Premier League goals for the Blues and revealed his frustrations in an explosive interview with Sky Italy back in December, which ultimately ensured that his second spell at Chelsea was going to end in an acrimonious manner.

"I think the coach has chosen to play with another system, I just have to not give up and continue to work and be a professional," fumed Lukaku. "How I left Inter, how I communicated with the fans, this bothers me because it is not the right time now, but even when I left it was not the right time.

"Now I think it is right to speak because I have always said that I have Inter in my heart, I will return to play there, I really hope so. I am in love with Italy, this is rightly the time to talk and let people know what really happened without talking badly about people because I am not like that.

"I want to say a big apology to the Inter fans because I think the way I left should have been different. I really hope in the depths of my heart to return to Inter, not at the end of my career, but at a still good level to hopefully win more."