SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - JUNE 12: Romelu Lukaku of Belgium celebrates after scoring the 3-0 goal during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group B match between Belgium and Russia on June 12, 2021 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Vincent Van Doornick/Isosport/MB Media/Getty Images)
Chelsea to break the bank for Romelu Lukaku
Belgium’s forward Romelu Lukaku shoots and scores the team’s first goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA EURO 2020 quarter-final football match between Belgium and Italy at the Allianz Arena in Munich on July 2, 2021. (Photo by Matthias Hangst / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MATTHIAS HANGST/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Romelu Lukaku looks set to return to one of his former clubs
The summer spending for Premier League teams continues as Chelsea are set to follow Manchester City in splashing the cash on a transfer target.
According to The Guardian, Chelsea are close to reaching an agreement with Inter Milan for Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku. The Blues are prepared to spend €115 million for the 28-year-old thus breaking the club’s transfer record in the process.
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Lukaku is coming off an excellent season with Inter where he was an integral part in the Serie A side winning the league and dethroning Juventus. He scored 30 goals across all competitions and followed it up by scoring four goals in five games during Euro 2020.
Inter find themselves in a financial mess and need to raise funds. Therefore, they are open for business and entertaining offers for a majority of their squad. They already sold Achraf Hakimi to PSG and are also looking to offload Lautaro Martinez.
Despite winning the Champions League last season, Chelsea struggled with their strikers as they had a hard time finding the back of the net. Timo Werner managed only 12 goals and was a source of constant criticism.
Talks between the two sides intensified over the past week after Chelsea had an initial bid rejected.
With the addition of Lukaku, Chelsea can be considered a contender for both the Premier League and Champions League. The reigning European champions, on paper, look a better outfit than last season.
Thomas Tuchel has managed to turn around a club who was struggling under Frank Lampard. With a goal scorer set to join their ranks, challenging Manchester City in England and vying to retain their European supremacy is not out of the question.
