Mauricio Pochettino appears to have already launched his summer transfer window plan after identifying his ideal Chelsea striker. The 51-year-old has been heavily linked with filling the head coach vacancy at Stamford Bridge, and it looks as if he'll land the job.
football.london understands that the Blues have held multiple rounds of 'positive talks' with Pochettino thus far, with Todd Boehly hopeful of appointing a permanent successor to Graham Potter at the end of the season. While the west Londoners are yet to reach an agreement with the former Tottenham boss, there is confidence that he'll be in the dugout ahead of next season.
So much so that the Argentine is said to have picked out his preferred candidate to lead the line at Chelsea. According to Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, Romelu Lukaku will be offered the chance to redeem himself at Stamford Bridge upon his return from loan at Inter Milan.
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The 29-year-old, who joined the Blues for £97.5million two-years ago, has featured 20 times for the Nerazzurri in the Serie A this season, directly contributing towards 10 goals. While Lukaku hasn't impressed back at the San Siro, Chelsea reportedly want to give him another opportunity under Pochettino.
In February, Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves urged the west Londoners to give the Belgium international another chance next season after scoring the winner for Inter in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Porto. The former Manchester United defender said: "I think new manager, give him a chance.
"You've got no one in there that you obviously trust at the moment, [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang isn't even in the European squad. This guy [Lukaku], he just knows where to score.
"I feel like he's not fit, he's carrying a bit more weight than normal and what he would like or the club like... still comes in and scores two goals in the last two games."
Singing from the same hymn sheet, Hargreaves added: "Nah, no chance [his Chelsea career is over], especially when they spent how much? And they don't have a centre-forward.
"So they've got a really good one, just get him fit. He's proven. His body of work shows he scores goals, so why would you not try and integrate him back in the summer?"
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