Inter Milan President, Steven Zhang, has expressed readiness to negotiate with Chelsea regarding the future of striker Romelu Lukaku after the conclusion of the 2022/23 season. The loan deal for Lukaku from Chelsea to Inter Milan came to an end after their defeat in the Champions League final against Manchester City earlier today (June 11). The Belgian forward faced criticism for missing scoring opportunities for his team. Lukaku unintentionally blocked his teammate Di Marco's header towards Manchester City's goal.
Furthermore, Lukaku wasted a chance with a header from close range, approximately 5 meters away, hitting Manchester City's goalkeeper Ederson in the final minutes of the match. However, President Steven Zhang doesn't seem too concerned about that issue. The Inter Milan's top executive spoke about the plan to keep Lukaku as follows: "Lukaku has a special relationship with Inter. He has great love for the team, and that cannot be denied. Lukaku is fantastic, but he still has a contract with Chelsea. We will have to talk to them to decide on his future."
In the summer of 2022, Inter Milan spent around 8 million euros to loan Lukaku from Chelsea for one year. At present, the Belgian striker is still part of Chelsea's squad and has a contract until the end of the 2025/26 season. Lukaku had a slow start to the 2022/23 season due to an injury. He picked up form towards the end of the season. However, Lukaku's contributions couldn't overshadow what he wasted in the match against Manchester City earlier today.
Additionally, Inter Milan's President also extended congratulations to the newly crowned Champions League winners: "Manchester City had an amazing season. I am truly proud to be here with the players, coaches, and staff of Inter Milan. Tonight's performance affirmed how strong we are. Before the match, everyone thought we were the weaker team, but we proved otherwise, playing at the highest level possible. I am genuinely proud. Reaching the Champions League final and performing well is also a valuable experience for us."
