Romelu Lukaku Determined To Remain At Inter But Nerazzurri Must Negotiate Discount From Chelsea, Italian Media Report | OneFootball

Inter striker Romelu Lukaku is determined to stay at the club when his loan from Chelsea expires, but the Nerazzurri must negotiate an extension with the Premier League outfit.

As reported in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, when Inter moved for the Belgium international in the summer on a one-year loan, the possibility of a second season back in Serie A was discussed.

There were doubts about the potential for a two-year loan, but primarily from Chelsea’s side, and it is set to be revisited as Lukaku enters the final six months of his deal back at Inter.

Indeed, representatives from the two clubs met in recent days to discuss the future of the 29-year-old, and it is thought that Chelsea see no place for him in their squad next season and are ready to move on, despite paying €115 million to sign him from Inter in 2021.

Meanwhile, Lukaku himself has no desire to return to West London and is pushing to stay at Inter beyond the end of the current campaign, and is not entertaining a move elsewhere at this stage.

Chelsea are expected to struggle to find a buyer if they were to sell Lukaku outright next summer, with the Blues unlikely to receive a transfer fee anywhere close to the amount they committed to in signing the former Everton striker.

As a result, the most likely outcome is a second season on loan at Inter, but the Nerazzurri are seeking to negotiate the terms of the deal and reduce the fee set for this term, currently at €8m for the signing plus €4m towards the player’s wages.

Whilst it is not thought to be a smooth negotiation, and much depends on Lukaku regain form and fitness after a difficult first half of the campaign, Inter remain hopeful that a discount can be provided.