After many ups and downs, Romelu Lukaku has made the decision to consider Inter Milan as his "true love." He has come to realize that there is no place where he feels as comfortable as he does with this Serie A team.
Even as a young player, Lukaku attracted the attention of many European giants. In the end, Chelsea emerged as the winner, signing him in 2011. However, The Blues loaned Lukaku out to various clubs before ultimately selling him to Everton in 2014.
At Everton, Lukaku shone brightly, scoring 87 goals and providing 29 assists in 166 appearances. He was then acquired by Manchester United in 2017 for £75 million. At Old Trafford, the striker managed to score 42 goals and provide 13 assists in 96 matches, a respectable record but not commensurate with his price tag.
Just two seasons later, Manchester United sent Lukaku to Inter for £73 million, and he flourished in Serie A. The Belgian forward scored an impressive 64 goals in just 95 appearances, prompting his former club Chelsea to pay £97.5 million to bring him back in 2021.
However, Lukaku did not find success in the Premier League with Chelsea and was loaned back to Inter in the 2022/23 season. This time, he only managed to score 10 goals and provide 6 assists in 25 matches across all competitions.
This performance did not justify Inter's willingness to spend a significant amount to permanently acquire Lukaku. They could only offer a maximum of £35 million plus add-ons, a figure that did not excite Chelsea.
Chelsea is demanding £40 million and considering offers from Al-Hilal and Juventus. Both clubs are prepared to spend heavily to secure the Belgian striker.
Lukaku's determination Lukaku has assured Inter that he has no intention of moving to Juventus and will not consider the offer from Al-Hilal. The 30-year-old star is solely focused on returning to Inter.
To demonstrate his commitment, Lukaku is even willing to take a pay cut to facilitate the transfer process. Currently earning nearly £140,000 per week after taxes at Chelsea, he has proposed reducing his wages to approximately £120,000 per week to return to Inter. This means Lukaku would forego nearly £1 million in annual salary.
Chelsea's new manager, Mauricio Pochettino, has expressed his hope for Lukaku to return to the club and resume training before the season starts, preferably by Wednesday or Thursday this week. However, it is highly unlikely that Lukaku will return, and it is hoped that Chelsea will agree to sell him as soon as possible.
At the age of 30, Lukaku, with his physical limitations, may struggle to cope with the intensity of the Premier League and fit into Pochettino's lineup. The former Everton and Manchester United striker is now better suited for a second-tier league like Serie A.
Even at Inter, Lukaku is not guaranteed a starting position. The team recently parted ways with Edin Dzeko, who moved to Fenerbahce in Turkey, but they have acquired Marcus Thuram on loan to replace him.
The young French forward, aged 25, is talented and coming off an impressive season with M'Gladbach, scoring 16 goals and providing 7 assists in 32 appearances across all competitions.
If Thuram quickly adapts to Inter, he is expected to start alongside Lautaro Martinez, and Lukaku will be a backup option for this duo. As a result, Inter will not be overly determined to spend heavily on Lukaku.
Nevertheless, the Belgian striker only wants to wear the Inter shirt, as he believes it is the best environment for him at this time. Now, it is just a matter of waiting for Chelsea to fulfill Lukaku's desires.
