Inter Milan Beppe Marotta has confirmed the imminent return of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea and is hopeful of a deal being concluded later this week.
The Belgium international led from the front in Inter's 2020-21 Serie A-winning campaign with 24 strikes and 10 assists in 36 top-flight matches under Antonio Conte.
Lukaku's first stint at San Siro saw him amass a total of 64 goals in 95 outings for the Nerazzurri, and he sealed a £97.5m return to Stamford Bridge last summer.
However, Lukaku struggled to adapt to life back in England and Thomas Tuchel's system, which led to him publicly admitting that he wanted to return to Inter in late 2021.
The Nerazzurri's volatile financial situation ruled out a permanent return for the ex-Manchester United man, but a deal to bring the striker back on loan has been struck with Chelsea.
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Marotta has now confirmed that Lukaku will be back in Milan for a second spell, and the club are aiming to dot the i's and cross the t's in the next few days.
"We have to thank the availability of the presidency and the owners. I hope it can be closed, not in a few hours, but a few days," Goal quotes Marotta as saying.
"We cannot make it official yet: he is a returning player who has done very well with us and we are happy to bring him home."
Lukaku's loan return to San Siro does not include an option or obligation to buy, and Inter are reportedly set to pay Chelsea €8m (£6.9m) for the 29-year-old's temporary signing.
Lukaku can reportedly expect to earn the same amount in yearly wages at Inter, who are also in the race to sign Paulo Dybala as a free agent following his Juventus departure.
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Offering an update on Dybala's situation, Marotta added: "We have done many surveys, but now we are in the phase in which we have to make a decision and try to formalize the operations.
"For Dybala, I do not hide the fact that we have met its representatives. We need to carry out surveys and explore new paths, among these there is everything. Now with Dybala, to reach a conclusion, there must be important meetings. To date, we have not reached any agreement."
Lukaku made a total of 44 appearances for Chelsea during the 2021-22 season, scoring 15 goals and setting up two more, but he only found the back of the net eight times in the Premier League.
The striker was named in Tuchel's first XI on 16 occasions in the Premier League and scored three goals in three outings in May, but he was an unused substitute on the final day of the season against Watford.
Ben Knapton
