GdS: Milan set out terms for Lukaku deal – why they lead Napoli in the race

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·3 luglio 2024

GdS: Milan set out terms for Lukaku deal – why they lead Napoli in the race

AC Milan have set out the conditions required to complete the signing of Romelu Lukaku who now seems to be the number one target for the attack, a report claims.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan want Lukaku but ‘not at all costs’. The management have him high on the list of striker targets, believing that he guarantees a return with over 300 goals at club level (and 21 in Roma 2023-24) and because he knows Serie A.

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Even though they are aware that other clubs are keen on Lukaku, Milan are remaining calm and they want to complete the operation within certain limits, limits that were crossed for example by Kia Joorabchian’s €15m commission requests in the Joshua Zirkzee talks.

Conte’s call and Chelsea’s price

Roma had to pay €40m to sign the Belgian on a permanent deal and therefore decided to let him return to Chelsea, where he has a contract until 2026 with a net salary of €12m per year. He is the highest paid player in the squad despite not being part of Maresca’s plans.

For the moment, the Blues intend to cash in on his departure and no longer want to loan him out without an obligation to buy because, in the event of a ‘dry’ loan (and without extending his contract until 2027), he would return in 2025 with a year on his deal.

The striker recently opened up to a transfer to Saudi Arabia, but now that both Napoli and Milan are interested in him, it is inevitable that he wants to continue playing in Europe. In the Champions League (with Milan) or with a coach (Conte) who he knows and loves.

Speaking of Napoli, Conte has asked De Laurentiis to replace Victor Osimhen – who wants to leave at all costs – with Lukaku, but the Azzurri cannot afford to include the former Inter and Roma player in the squad without having sold the Nigerian.

This is why at the moment Milan has an advantage over Napoli that exceeds the appeal exerted by Conte on the player. But how long will it last? If Osimhen finds a buyer in the Premier League (where he wants to play) or elsewhere, then Napoli can move would become a fearsome opponent.

Milan’s stance

Why aren’t Milan accelerating? They see the €40m or even €30m price tag as being too high for a striker that is 31 years old, especially because in 2022 he was loaned for €7.8m while in 2023 he left London, also on loan, for €5.8m.

The management are convinced that as the weeks go by the Blues’ demands will become lower and lower, maybe to the point of obtaining a loan with an obligation to buy at a far more favourable figure,

Then there is the salary issue. Milan are certain that Lukaku is eligible for the the Growth Decree because he had it when he arrived in Italy and never lost the requirements to take advantage of it. Even if the decree was abolished for new arrivals after January 1, 2024, he was and remains eligible.

The salary he had at Inter in 2022-23 (€8m net) and at Roma in 2023-24 (€7.5m) is however considered too high for the Rossoneri and there is no desire to further raise the ceiling set at €6.5m with Rafael Leao’s renewal.

Milan, who closed the accounts with a profit for the second year in a row, want to continue to be virtuous and combine sporting results with those of the budget.