According to Inter’s chief executive Alessandro Antonello, Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku reportedly wants to return to Inter Milan this summer.
The Serie A side are currently locked in talks with Chelsea over a potential loan deal for Lukaku, who is reportedly desperate to leave Stamford Bridge after holding crunch talks with Thomas Tuchel and new owner Todd Boehly.
The Blues have agreed that letting the big Belgian leave on loan next season is the best solution for all parties. But having signed him for a club-record £97.5million last summer, they are eager to recoup a part of their money.
The only thing that could scupper a deal is the financial numbers involved. The London side want a loan fee of £20 million as well as the majority, if not all, of his £300,000-a-week wages paid. Meanwhile, Inter have submitted an initial offer worth £7million for their ex-striker to return this summer.
But with that sum far from Chelsea’s elevation of the player, it is up to San Siro chiefs to reach an agreement with Chelsea. Amidst all these, Inter chief Antonello has confirmed to the press that Lukaku himself is desperate to move back to Italy, Serie A, after a disappointing year in England.
“There is a great desire of the player to return,” he said on Thursday.
“The economic and financial feasibility must be checked and some technical problems must be solved. We will try to do it in the necessary time.”
Before joining Chelsea last season, Lukaku made a name for himself at Inter Milan under Antonio Conte as he helped the Serie A side to win the Scudetto. But his first season in London did not go to plan. Even though his second debut as a player got off to an encouraging start as he scored four goals in as many appearances, an injury sustained in October marked the beginning of his downfall.
He also fell out with fans after expressing his desire to one day return to Inter in a bombshell Sky Italia interview at the end of January.
The 29-year-old is prepared to accept a pay cut to seal a return to Inter, who are only able to sign him on a loan deal due to a lack of finances.