Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and manager Thomas Tuchel are set to meet this week to clarify and discuss the future of unsettled striker and club-record acquisition Romelu Lukaku, who has been linked with a return to Inter Milan.
Lukaku's displeasure at his time back in west London has been known since the start of 2022 when he came out with some explosive quotes to Sky Italia which had tainted all the build-up and preparation for the Liverpool home Premier League clash. Since then, the mercurial talent found some form at the end of the season but this seemingly hasn't been enough to make the 29-year-old happier with his situation, just one season after completing his club-record £97.5million move back to the Premier League.
As well as confirming the 29-year-old's intentions to make an early return to Serie A, Italian transfer guru Gianluca di Marzio has revealed the 'messaging' efforts that the £97.5million man has undergone behind the scenes which has somewhat made his feelings well known.
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“Since last Christmas, Lukaku has been sending public and private messages to Inter, calling the directors and the coach, former teammates and the President, ready to leave a third of his salary in London, ready to do everything he can to make the impossible possible," he stated in Monday's print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, via SempreInter.com.
With Lukaku himself currently away on Red Devils international duty with Belgium for their Nations League games, his future back home in England is set to be a topic of heavy debate as we approach the June 10 opening of the summer transfer window.
Robert Martinez's striker came off injured in the most recent 4-1 defeat to the Netherlands and is set to miss upcoming fixtures against Poland and Wales respectively. It isn't expected to be an injury to put any transfer/loan in jeopardy. Consequently, action has been taken by owner Boehly to try and ease the situation at hand as he and manager Tuchel need to know what is what before moving on to new targets amid links to Inter's Lautaro Martinez, Lille's Jonathan David and Benfica's Darwin Nunez.
The American has done this by requesting a meeting with Tuchel in the next two days meaning by June 9, one day before the transfer window opens, the pair would have met. Once those discussions are out of the way, it is expected that Lukaku and his camp will hold face-to-face talks with the part LA Dodgers owner.
It is expected that terms of a two-year loan away are expected to be discussed between player and owner amid claims that Internazionale are requesting a 'salary-sharing' scheme if they were to make this homecoming possible for Serie A's MVP winner of 2020/21. Whether or not Boehly can convince Lukaku to remain put for at least another year with all focus currently on a defensive revamp remains to be seen.
Chelsea fans - what would you tell Romelu Lukaku if you were In Todd Boehly's shoes? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
