Romelu Lukaku's return to Inter Milan is being funded by Italy’s taxpayers.
Lukaku took a huge pay-cut to seal a 12-month loan move back to the San Siro - just a year after Chelsea paid £97.5million to re-sign the Belgian striker. But the financial hit of seeing his £325,000-a-week wages slashed by a third to make the deal happen has been cushioned by a loophole in Italy’s tax laws which has already saved him £3million.
The Italian government introduced the ‘Rientro del cervelli’ regulation just under three years ago in a bid to persuade high-powered workers from leaving the country. It translates as ‘the return of the brains’ and was originally aimed at helping to prevent scientists, doctors and business specialists leaving the country as well as attracting new talent.
