Chelsea are reportedly ready to make another attempt to re-sign Romelu Lukaku, but does the Inter forward want a return to the Blues?
The Belgian striker, who scored four times in five games at the Euros this summer, joined Inter in the summer of 2019 for a reported €74m from Manchester United.
He then signed a deal until June 2024 and helped Antonio Conte’s team lift their first Scudetto in 11 years in his second term with the Nerazzurri.
But the clinical goalscorer has been linked with a return to Chelsea, where he first arrived from Anderlecth in August 2011.
Sky Sport Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reports the Premier League side are hoping to lure him back 10 years later and the first offer that arrived reached a total of €100m in cash plus Marcos Alonso.
The Nerazzurri rejected the approach from Chelsea but Di Marzio claims Chelsea are preparing to increase their offer for the 28-year-old.
But the player’s will is decisive in the negotiations, as he has, according to Sky Sport Italia, not accepted the call from the Blues.
Chelsea won the Champions League last year and could convince the player and the club, should the offer be increased in the coming days.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reported the striker, who is on a €7.5m-a-year deal at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, snubbed a return to London and opted to stay at Inter.
Lukaku only played 15 games at senior level before he was sent on loan at West Bromwich and Everton, where he eventually signed a permanent deal in 2014.
Lukaku then moved to Manchester United but the report claims he had bad memories of his time in Premier League, as the tabloids often criticised his performances and discussed his weight.
The Belgian has reportedly settled in Milan and has started some businesses around the city during his two years in the fashion capital.
Lukaku also aims to win another title with the Beneamata, after having secured the Scudetto in 2020-21, and looks forward to starting the new season under Simone Inzaghi.
The player could therefore refuse a return to England and decide to stay in Milan, where he has scored 64 goals in 95 competitive games.
Chelsea prepare another effort to sign Lukaku from Inter, who are struggling financially after the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s up to the player, who has three years left on his deal in Milan.
#Calciomercato | L’#Inter, il #Chelsea, #Lukaku: gli aggiornamenti https://t.co/kmCvoDPmMF
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) August 3, 2021