Chelsea’s new owners have been in direct contact with Romelu Lukaku in order to resolve the future of the club’s record signing.
The Belgian attacker returned to Stamford Bridge last summer and was billed as the final piece in Thomas Tuchel’s jigsaw.
Lukaku, who failed to make the grade at the London club during his first spell earlier in his career, arrived 12 months ago in a record £97m transfer from Inter Milan.
After a superb start, Lukaku’s form deteriorated and appeared to be ill-suited to the tactics used by the manager Thomas Tuchel.
A controversial interview Lukaku gave to Italian media further soured the relationship between the striker and the German coach, who often turned to Kai Havertz in preference to the former Manchester United star during the second half of last campaign.
Luaku has made no secret of his desire to return to Inter this summer and, according to the Telegraph, Chelsea’s new owners, led by Todd Boehly, will not stand in the player’s way as long as any deal suits the Blues.
Already Inter are reported to have baulked at the prospect of signing on a season-long loan deal after Chelsea demanded a one-off payment of £20m.
Boehley’s relationship with Lukaku’s representatives, Roc Nation, however, could help secure a satisfactory resolution for all parties.
The American is a part-owner of both the LA Dodgers baseball and the LA Lakers basketball sides, who have done commercial and player-based business with Roc Nation. Lakers guard DJ Augustin is on the Roc rosta.
Regardless of Lukaku’s future, the Blues are likely to be busy in the market this summer given their failure to keep pace with Man City and Liverpool last term, allied to the departures of Rudiger and Christensen.
