Chelsea FC set Inter Milan transfer meeting to discuss Romelu Lukaku, Andre Onana and others
The Champions League finalists, who lost 1-0 to Manchester City in Istanbul on Saturday, will first prioritise a new loan deal for Lukaku on reduced terms.
Inter are unwilling to pay another £7million to take the striker on loan, having already successfully encouraged the 30-year-old to forgo half of his £325,000-a-week wages following his miserable £100m return to west London in 2021.
Inter’s current financial plight complicates Lukaku’s situation, with a previous verbal agreement on a same-terms second loan spell now needing to be negotiated.
Incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino remains open to reintroducing Lukaku to his squad in pre-season. Pochettino does not start his role until July 1 and is yet to speak to Lukaku.
Lukaku, whose relationship with Chelsea supporters is damaged following an unsanctioned 2021 interview in which he criticised previous manager Thomas Tuchel, is happy in Italy and is expected to ask to stay at Inter.
Inter have sounded out Aubameyang as an alternative ahead of the meeting should talks for Lukaku collapse.
The 33-year-old striker has no future at Stamford Bridge and is not short of suitors. Inter face competitions from AC Milan, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Besiktas and Los Angeles FC for the former Arsenal striker.
Flop: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
/ Getty ImagesLIVE BLOG: All the latest transfer news and rumours
The £12m signing from Barcelona also has interest from Saudi Arabia quartet Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, Al-Hillal and Al Ahli.
Chelsea’s co-owner Todd Boehly was in Saudi Arabia last week meeting the president of Al-Hilal, who are also interested in Lukaku and backed by the country’s Public Investment Fund, which also own Newcastle.
A deal to bring Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana, who is valued at £50m and the club’s primary transfer target, will also be discussed at the upcoming meeting, while Trevoh Chalobah is another of interest to Inter.
