July 10, (THEWILL) – Chelsea and Inter Milan continue to negotiate the transfer of striker, Romelu Lukaku, with the London club insisting that the Italian side must come closer to their £40m asking price.
The two clubs have been engaged in discussions for several months, with Chelsea rejecting multiple offers from Inter in an attempt to recoup as much as possible from their initial £97.5m investment in Lukaku. While Inter’s attempts to secure a loan deal were swiftly dismissed by Chelsea, the Blues are open to a permanent departure for the Belgian forward. A recent offer of approximately £30m was turned down, and sources reveal that Chelsea is urging Inter to increase their bid by an additional £10m.
These negotiations are further complicated by the incredulous fact that Chelsea still owes money to Inter for Lukaku’s original purchase in 2021. Despite attracting interest from Juventus and an offer from a Saudi Arabian club, Lukaku is solely focused on returning to Inter and is prepared to take a significant pay cut to facilitate the move.
Juventus had inquired about Lukaku after Chelsea expressed interest in Bianconeri striker, Dusan Vlahovic, but Lukaku has no desire to join another Serie A team. Although the Belgian forward has received renewed efforts from Saudi Arabia to persuade him to move to the Middle East, he is currently unwilling to accept their offer as he awaits an agreement between Chelsea and Inter.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
