Chelsea seriously attempted to buy Romelu Lukaku from Inter, but the Italian side rejected their giant offer. The Blues have switched their focus to Erling Haaland, although Borussia Dortmund are putting up fierce resistance as well. The Belgian star is poised to stay with the Nerazzurri, Alfredo Pedullà reports.
Chelsea did not talk directly to Inter but acted through some intermediaries. They signaled their intention to place a €130M bid to bring back Lukaku, but the Beneamata did not cave. The Blues also offered to include Timo Werner in the deal without finding an opening. Despite their well-known financial difficulties, the Nerazzurri want to keep their ace.
Lukaku resumed practicing yesterday after the post-Euro vacation and talked to Inter TV: “Everything went well, I spent time in New York and Miami. Now we have a few weeks to get ready for the next season. We hope to do better than in the last one. I have already talked with Simone Inzaghi, and I was informed of the hiring beforehand. My brother weighed in on him as well. He is a good coach, and he will help the team achieve good results. We want to continue on the path we are on and keep winning.”
Rather than a replacement, Inter are looking to find a backup for the Belgian powerhouse. While the gaffer is keen on Balde Keita and Felipe Caicedo, the management covets Gianluca Scamacca. However, Sassuolo have refused to let him leave on loan with option to buy thus far, La Repubblica informs.