Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku has recommended Inter Milan duo Alessandro Bastoni and Milan Skriniar to the club’s hierarchy, according to reports in Italy.
The London side wanted to add a new central defender to Thomas Tuchel’s team this summer and pushed hard to land Jules Kounde from La Liga club Sevilla.
But, the Blues were unable to reach an agreement with Sevilla after they raised their asking price in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.
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Chelsea believed they already had a verbal agreement with Sevilla over the fee, but the Spanish side increase that figure by €15m (£12.8m).
According to Sport Mediaset in Italy, the Champions League holders remain in the transfer market for a new defender and are now considering Inter Milan pair Bastoni and Skriniar.
The report claims that the West Londoners’ decision comes following a recommendation from Lukaku, who played with both players at Inter.
Bastoni would represent the more inexperienced option for the club as the 22-year-old defender is only in his third year with Inter.
A deal for Bastoni would also be tricky for Thomas Tuchel’s side as the Italy international signed a three-year desl extension with Inter in May, which keeps the player tied to the club until the summer of 2024.
Skriniar, meanwhile, has been linked with a transfer move to the Premier League for several years after his superb performances for Inter.
The 26-year-old will have just one year left on his current contract with Inter at the end of the campaign, which would reduce the asking price for Chelsea if he fails to sign a new contract.
