Inter CEO Beppe Marotta has rubbished speculations about Romelu Lukaku’s potential departure in the ongoing transfer window. During an interview with SportMediaset (via SempreInter), the Nerazzurri supremo reiterated the club’s intent to retain the in-demand Belgium international.
“From our side, we can yes absolutely, Lukaku is not for sale,” Marotta said. “Lukaku is an important piece on the chessboard available to Simone Inzaghi.”
After taking part in Belgium’s Euro 2020 campaign, Lukaku joined Inter’s pre-season training on Sunday to kick-start his preparations for the upcoming season.
The 27-year-old striker was an instrumental part of Inter’s imperious Serie A title charge under Antonio Conte in 2020/21. He clocked up a staggering 24 goals and ten assists in 34 top-flight appearances en route to completing the season as the most prolific Nerazzurri player.
Indeed, Lukaku has been nothing short of exceptional since swapping Manchester United for the Giuseppe Meazza in summer 2019. The ex-Chelsea flop has netted at least 30 goals in both his seasons in Lombardy, establishing himself as one of the fiercest marksmen in Europe’s top-five divisions.
Lukaku’s remarkable showings at Inter have not gone unnoticed, with several notable clubs registering an interest in his services, including Chelsea. The Premier League heavyweights have earmarked their former star as a back-up option for their primary pursuit of Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.
Inter’s financial woes were expected to force the club to offload their standout performer in the summer, but Achraf Hakimi’s sale helped the reigning Italian champions balance the books. As a result, the Serie A giants are now adamant Lukaku won’t leave the team this summer unless someone comes up with an offer upwards of £100million.
Inzaghi, who took charge of the team in the summer, hopes to build Inter’s title defense around Lukaku. Along with his partner Lautaro Martinez, the Belgian should play a decisive role in the Lombard outfit’s hopes of winning back-to-back Serie A crowns in 13 years.