Chelsea and Inter Milan have reportedly come to an agreement over Romelu Lukaku, with the centre-forward set to return to San Siro on loan for the 2022-23 campaign.
The 29-year-old scored 64 goals across two seasons with Inter between 2019 and 2021 before re-joining Chelsea in a big-money deal last summer.
The Blues paid £97.5m to bring him back to Stamford Bridge, but the Belgium international found it difficult to make his mark during the 2021-22 campaign, managing only 15 goals and two assists in 44 appearances.
Lukaku still has more than five years left to run on his contract with Chelsea but is believed to have made it clear that he wants to return to San Siro ahead of next season.
Inter have been in talks with the Blues over the last few weeks, and according to the Daily Mail, an agreement has now been reached between the two clubs.
© Reuters
The report claims that the Italian giants could pay £8.5m plus add-ons to bring Lukaku back to the club on loan, and a further video call will be held on Monday to discuss the final details.
Chelsea are believed to have discussed Inter duo Milan Skriniar and Denzel Dumfries during the negotiations, but it is unlikely that any other players will be involved in the deal.
Lukaku's departure could allegedly lead to Chelsea stepping up their interest in Raheem Sterling, with the England international potentially leaving Manchester City this summer.
The Blues allegedly believe that the Citizens could let the attacker leave for around £55m this summer, as he only has one year left to run on his contract with the Premier League champions.
Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in Robert Lewandowski, but Barcelona are at the head of the queue for the striker, who has revealed that he wants to leave Bayern Munich this summer.
© Reuters
"Physically I am fine. But I'm not happy with the situation at Chelsea. Tuchel has chosen to play with another system - I won't give up, I'll be professional. I am not happy with the situation but I am professional - and I can't give up now," Lukaku told Sky Italia in a controversial interview towards the end of last year.
"I think everything that happened last summer was not supposed to happen like this... how I left Inter, the way I left the club, how I communicated with Inter fans - this bothers me because it was not the right time.
"Now it's the right time to share my feelings. I have always said that I have Inter in my heart: I know I will return to Inter, I really hope so. I am in love with Italy, this is the right moment to talk and let people know what really happened.
"I really hope from the bottom of my heart to return to Inter not at the end of my career, but when I'm still at top level to win more together. I want to apologise to the Inter fan, the timing of my words was wrong: what you did for me will remain forever."
Lukaku scored eight goals and registered one assist in 26 Premier League appearances last term, while he netted twice and provided one assist in six Champions League outings.
The Belgian also contributed three goals in 10 outings in the FA Cup and EFL Cup, in addition to netting twice in two appearances at the Club World Cup.
Matt Law
