Il Corriere dello Sport reports Romelu Lukaku didn’t show up for Chelsea training on Monday and won’t join the Blues for their pre-season tour in the USA while Juventus wait to sell Dusan Vlahovic to afford his purchase.
The Belgian was supposed to start pre-season at Cobham on Monday but extended his holiday and didn’t attend Chelsea’s training.
The Blues had already extended his holiday last week, thinking the striker would have joined Inter.
Lukaku is expected to arrive at Cobham today, but he will train with the other players on the market while the rest of the team has flown out to the USA for a pre-season tour.
Journalist Gabriele Marcotti wrote in Tuesday’s printed edition of Il Corriere dello Sport (page 4) that tension between Chelsea and Lukaku is growing. Lukaku is unwilling to join Al-Hilal, while Juventus must sell Vlahovic before making a formal bid for the Blues.
Chelsea fans are still furious with Lukaku following his explosive interview with Sky Sport Italia in 2021 where he practically admitted that it was a mistake to leave Inter and return to Stamford Bridge.
The 30-year-old has made it clear that he doesn’t want to remain at Chelsea and is pushing to join Juventus, having already reached a principle of agreement with the Bianconeri.