Romelu Lukaku, 28, is reported to still be unhappy with Chelsea and could be sealing a sensational move back to Internazionale in the summer.
Lukaku joined Chelsea at the beginning of the season, a decade after he left the club, from Inter Milan who received £98 million to part with the man who led them to their first Scudetto in over a decade.
The Belgian began his time at Chelsea with a bang, producing good returns in his first few games back (four goals in his first four games). However, an injury spell in October and the little drought that followed his return, followed by a sensational interview where he talked about his time at Inter Milan and compared it to the time he had spent at Chelsea saw his stock drop among the Blues’ faithful.
In that interview, Lukaku said he did not want to leave Inter, while talking down on Thomas Tuchel’s tactics which he claims has stifled his playing style. “I don’t think any of it [his departure] should have happened the way it did,” he said to Sky Italy.
“The way I left Inter and the way I communicated with the Inter fans. I’m annoyed about that because it’s not the right time now but it wasn’t the right time when I left either.
“I always said that I love Inter and I’ll play for them again. I really hope so. I fell in love with Italy. Now is the right time to talk about it and tell people what really happened, without saying anything bad about anyone, because I’m not like that.
“I want to really apologise to the Inter fans because I don’t think I should have left Inter the way I did. I should have spoken to you guys first, especially after everything you did for me, for my family, my mum, my son. I’ll never forget that.
“I hope from the bottom of my heart to go back to Inter and not at the end of my career but when I’m still at a good enough level to win more trophies.”
Lukaku has yet to regain his place in the Chelsea set-up since that interview, with Thomas Tuchel preferring to field Kai Havertz in a false nine position, where the young German has flourished. The former Everton striker, however, has scored some key goals for the side in other competitions, taking his tally to 12 goals in 34 appearances so far for Chelsea.
He, however, has not scored for the Blues in the Premier League since then and is stuck at only five goals.
Calciomercato now reports that Inter are looking to bring Lukaku back to Chelsea to partner Edin Dzeko as they prepare for the possibility of losing Lukaku’s former strike partner Lautaro Martinez in the summer.
However, Inter are not weighing the option of paying for Lukaku outright, with a loan option being touted instead. The Blues have already been reported to be looking for ways to get Lukaku’s £325,000-a-week wages off their books following the sanctions they are currently facing.
It remains to be seen what becomes of the news, as Inter could be facing a battle to bring Lukaku back to San Siro.
