Inter CEO takes swipe at Chelsea while discussing Romelu Lukaku's future
By Sean Walsh
Inter CEO Beppe Marotta has claimed that Romelu Lukaku would like to stay at the club once his loan from Chelsea expires, while he has also played up the Blues' troubled strategy.
Lukaku first joined the Nerazzurri back in 2019 for a club-record €80m fee from Manchester United. In his second season at San Siro, he fired Inter to a first Serie A title in over a decade.
With Inter feeling the pinch due to financial woes, Lukaku was sold to Chelsea for over €100m in 2021, but he scored just 15 goals in 44 games back at Stamford Bridge in a season during which he publicly admitted he would like to play for Inter again.
That request was granted and he rejoined the Italian side on loan for the 2022/23 season, though spent much of the first half of the season injured and has only returned to fitness in recent months.
Inter have long been coy on the Belgian's future beyond this season, but for the first time, they have publicly suggested that they would be interested in keeping Lukaku, despite uncertainty over what will happen at Chelsea on a 'technical level' over the coming months.
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Club CEO Marotta told Radio Rai: "Romelu loves the shirt he wears, he is very comfortable at Inter. These are fundamental aspects, this desire of his to be with us.
"But he is on loan until June 30. He will return to Chelsea, and we don't know what will happen on a technical level at that club. At the moment we are at the window."
90min understands that Lukaku would indeed like to remain at Inter, while there is currently little desire from Chelsea to keep him, despite suggestions that he could be reintegrated into the squad by incoming head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Sources confirmed to 90min earlier in 2023 that Chelsea have made fellow Serie A striker Victor Osimhen of Napoli their top transfer target.
Lukaku is due to appear for Inter in this season's Champions League final against Manchester City, while Chelsea will finish in the bottom half of the Premier League.
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