Romelu Lukaku eyes Serie A return, but not with Inter

Chelsea have rejected Inter’s $45 million offer for Romelu Lukaku. The Blues value the Belgian forward at $51 million.

Attempts have been made by the Italian club to secure Lukaku’s permanent return to the squad. Unfortunately, their financial issues dictated that their initial offer was lower than Chelsea hoped.

Having been a significant disappointment since his $125 million transfer two years ago, Lukaku is not wanted at Stamford Bridge. It’s no secret that his second stint in London has been a dismal failure. Despite costing so much, the Belgian only managed eight Premier League goals in his first season back.

The attacker returned to Inter on loan for the 2022-23 campaign. Despite not being able to secure a starting position, his 10 goals and six assists in 1663 league minutes are noteworthy.

The 30-year-old’s inability to adapt to life at Stamford Bridge makes it doubtful that Mauricio Pochettino will include him in his plans for next season.

Rivals could hijack Inter’s deal for Romelu Lukaku

If negotiations between Inter and Chelsea remain stalled, another team could seize the opportunity.

Sky Sports reports that the Nerazzurri’s arch-rivals, Juventus might swoop in and sign the player. Knowing that recent progress has stalled, Massimiliano Allegri’s team have reached out to Chelsea.

After having dominated the domestic scene for close to a decade, the Old Lady have started to struggle. They are two years without a trophy and for the first time since 2011, they didn’t finish in the top four in Serie A.

Juventus reklindle their interest from 2019

When the Belgian ace left Manchester United in 2019, Juve expressed interest in acquiring his services. While the Nerazzurri may have ultimately prevailed in their pursuit of the Belgian’s signature in that case, the Bianconeri clearly retain a desire to sign Lukaku.

Photo credit: IMAGO / ANP