Inter Milan and Chelsea have held talks regarding Romelu Lukaku's return to San Siro on loan; Belgian striker rejoined Chelsea from Serie A club last summer, but scored just eight Premier League goals last season
Monday 20 June 2022 15:25, UK
Inter Milan believe they are close to agreeing a deal to re-sign striker Romelu Lukaku on loan from Chelsea.
It is understood that it is now only a matter of time before the transfer is done and that there is no way back for Lukaku at Chelsea.
Lukaku's lawyer, Sebastien Ledure, is now negotiating the move on behalf of his client, with Lukaku's contract with his agent Federico Pastorello running out on June 30.
Pastorello has played no part in the negotiations for Lukaku to return to San Siro.
The two clubs held talks last week over the exact make-up of the deal.
One source told Sky Sports News there was a €5 million gap between the €10m Chelsea want and the €5m Inter want to pay in a loan fee.
Chelsea paid Inter £97.5m to sign Lukaku last summer, but the Belgian scored just eight Premier League goals in 26 outings.
In December, Lukaku told Sky in Italy he wanted to return to Inter one day. He said: "I really hope in the depths of my heart to return to Inter, not at the end of my career, but at a still good level to hopefully win more."
Last week, it was revealed Inter cannot afford to sign Lukaku - who scored 64 goals in 95 games and helped them to the Serie A title during his time at the club - on a permanent deal.
On Monday, Inter Milan chief executive Giuseppe Marotta admitted the club are in talks to re-sign Lukaku.
"I can say that today will not be the day of Lukaku's announcement," Marotta told Radio Rai. "Lukaku and [Paulo] Dybala are our targets, but we need to consider financial issues.
"We are in talks with these two players and we'll be happy if we sign them. If not, we'll consider different targets."
Marotta also revealed the Serie A side will sign former Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana in the coming days.
"There will be new signings, but I don't know who they will be," Marotta said. "Mkhitaryan will be official in the next few days, the same goes for Onana.
"We are evaluating a bit of everything, also players from the youth team who became Italy champions. We know that we must wait for young players and build a strong team."
Sky Sports News' chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
"I think it is close but it is not imminent. The Inter chief executive Beppe Marotta was speaking earlier, he was saying they have jumped at the chance to try and re-sign Romelu Lukaku but it is not imminent. He said it's not going to be announced today.
"There isn't a positive spin you can put on this. The transfer will go down in Premier League history as one of the worst transfer deals of all time. Chelsea signed him for almost £100m, he was brilliant for two seasons at Inter, but came to Chelsea and things started going wrong quickly.
"He gave that interview to Sky Italy in which he basically said he wanted to go back to Inter. It looks from the outside that his heart hasn't been in it. I understand, he doesn't particularly like the way Chelsea play under Thomas Tuchel, but it doesn't look like he's tried too hard to adapt. I think the vast majority of Chelsea supporters will be glad to see the back of him.
"But it is an extraordinary tale, a player they signed for almost £100m going back to Inter a year later on what will probably be a loan deal, and Inter will pay £10m to begin with. And then there are his wages, because he's on about £325,000 per week at Chelsea. Someone close to the negotiations told us yesterday that he is leaving. He doesn't have a future at Chelsea."
Sky Sports News' senior reporter Melissa Reddy:
Chelsea are pressing ahead with their summer recruitment plans now that the £4.25bn Todd Boehly-led consortium takeover of the club has been completed.
The Blues have a verbal agreement already in place with Sevilla defender Jules Kounde, with the Spanish club preferring a quick deal as they aim to balance their books before June 30.
Talks on a deal for Kounde had collapsed last year but there is optimism from all parties it will get done this time.
Paris Saint-Germain's Presnel Kimpembe is part of a shortlist of central defensive options and is Thomas Tuchel's preference. Atletico Madrid's Jose Gimenez and RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol are also among those being looked at.
Chelsea like Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni but the expectation is he will end up at Real Madrid. PSV's Ibrahim Sangare is among the alternatives scouted.
