Inter have informed Chelsea that they will have to splash out north of £100million to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge. According to Tuttosport, the Premier League giants have identified the Belgium international as an alternative to their pursuit of Erling Haaland.
The Borussia Dortmund sensation is understood to be top of Chelsea’s list of priorities in the ongoing transfer window. Thomas Tuchel is keen to increase his firepower following Timo Werner’s lackadaisical maiden Premier League campaign and wants Haaland to spearhead the line next season.
But after finally sanctioning Jadon Sancho’s long-awaited move to Manchester United, the Bundesliga side will try to keep hold of the 21-year-old goal-machine. Dortmund have pinned a staggering £150m price tag on Haaland’s head to deter potential suitors from making a move.
Although Chelsea have deemed Borussia’s demands excessive, they are reportedly ready to launch a bid of £135m to test the Germans’ resolve. However, if their attempt to land Haaland comes a cropper, the Champions League titleholders will switch their attention towards Lukaku.
Following an underwhelming career at Manchester United, the 28-year-old striker has flourished in Serie A, playing a pivotal role in Inter’s title-winning 2020/21 league campaign. Lukaku prompted the Nerazzurri to increase his salary from £125,000 to £140,000-a-week for the new season after netting at least 30 goals in his first two seasons in Italy.
Despite committing his future to the Giuseppe Meazza only recently, the Belgian star’s future in Lombardy remains uncertain. Chelsea are big admirers of Lukaku and could try to re-sign him in the summer as part of the club’s bid to challenge for the Premier League title next term.
Inter, who dashed out a club-record £68m to bring in Lukaku in 2019, are desperate to retain the Belgium international beyond the summer. Simone Inzaghi is intent on building his side’s title defense around the ex-Chelsea man. So, it comes as no surprise that the reigning Serie A champions want the Blues to top the £100m mark to even consider selling their prized asset.