Chelsea ready to loan Romelu Lukaku out to Inter Milan for another season after Jay Z recommendation
According to Gazzetta dello Sports (h/t Mirror), Chelsea are ready to allow striker Romelu Lukaku to stay for another season on loan at Inter Milan after a recommendation from rapper Jay Z.
Lukaku was signed by the Blues last summer from Inter for a record fee of £97.5m. It did not work out for him last season at Stamford Bridge though and was loaned out back to Italy before the start of this season.
The one-year deal consisted of an €8m loan fee along with €3m in bonuses. Now, all three parties – Lukaku, Chelsea and Inter – are prepared to agree to another year’s loan deal, which would include an agreement on a fee for a permanent transfer in the summer of 2024.
It is also revealed that the Blues co-owner Todd Boehly is accepting the fact that the club would have to write off millions in order to let Lukaku leave on a permanent transfer.
Rapper Jay Z, who is a friend of Boehly and also runs the Roc Nations Agency which handles the Belgian international, also feels that the player remaining at Inter Milan is best for all parties.
It is clear that the punt taken by Chelsea on Lukaku has backfired significantly. It should be a massive disappointment for both the player and the club not just from the financial viewpoint but in terms of the lack of returns on the pitch as well.
They signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the summer deadline day to fill up the centre-forward spot vacated by the Belgian. Armando Broja and Kai Havertz are options for that position.
However, with Aubameyang 33 now, his workload needs to be managed carefully in an intense schedule of games. Hence, more addition would be required in that department to keep the goals flowing.
More Chelsea News:
- Graham Potter explains why Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wasn’t subbed on earlier against Brentford
- Graham Potter offers explanation on why Conor Gallagher was subbed prematurely against Brentford
- AC Milan chiefs meet representatives of Chelsea duo Armando Broja and Hakim Ziyech
After the failed experiment with Timo Werner and potentially Lukaku, the Blues have to be careful when recruiting a new striker for the long term – if and when they do. Potter and Todd Boehly must invest wisely on that front after expensive failures in that position in the recent past.