Chelsea look set to benefit from Romelu Lukaku's nightmare cameo for Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final defeat against Manchester City. The Italian side were beaten 1-0 by Pep Guardiola's team as City completed a historic treble-winning season.
Lukaku, who spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Inter, came on as a substitute and missed a golden opportunity to send the game to extra-time. The Belgium international saw his close-range header saved by Ederson after blocking his team-mate's header earlier in the second half.
Inter Milan president Steven Zhang has refused to reveal whether the Chelsea striker will remain at the San Siro next season. "Romelu loves Inter, that’s very clear," Zhang said.
"He's a great guy but he’s under contract at Chelsea. We have to wait and speak to Chelsea to make Lukaku’s future clear."
Lukaku's attacking partner, Lautaro Martinez, was left scratching his head following the missed chance by the Belgian. "Not even Ederson knows how he managed to save Lukaku’s header,” said Martinez after the game.
Earlier this year, the striker confirmed his desire to stay at the Serie A giants with Chelsea set to schedule a meeting with Inter to discuss Lukaku's future. The Serie A outfit secured a sensational deal last summer - signing the 30-year-old on loan just one year after offloading him for £90million.
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It remains to be seen whether Chelsea demand a fee for Lukaku this summer if they opt to part ways with the ex-Manchester United forward with Inter keen on keeping him at the club next season. Mauricio Pochettino is said to be keen to acquire the services of Martinez this summer as he aims to sign a new striker at Stamford Bridge.
This could see the two clubs negotiate a potential swap deal. Inter are in desperate need of money and could offload a number of their top talents - but a swap deal including Lukaku for Martinez could be a smart piece of business for both teams.
The Blues are also desperate to sign a top-quality goalkeeper this summer, with Edouard Mendy expected to be sold and Kepa Arrizabalaga remain at the club but as a rotational option. Inter’s Andre Onana has been discussed internally by Chelsea and a potential deal has been spoken about by representatives of the Serie A club.
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