Romelu Lukaku has suffered a blow in his attempts to leave Chelsea this summer after Inter Milan's opening offer for the striker was rejected.
Lukaku endured a disappointing return to Stamford Bridge last season. Many suspected he could elevate Thomas Tuchel's side to title challengers but after scoring just eight Premier League goals in 26 appearances, his days in west London now look numbered.
It was not just on the pitch where he faced problems. In an interview with Sky Italia released over the Christmas period, the Belgian was critical of the Blues and admitted he only left Inter because his request for a new contract was rejected by the cash-strapped Serie A champions.
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It has been widely reported in the months since that the 29-year-old is eager to return to Italy this summer but with Chelsea having splashed £97 million on his services just 12 months ago, a deal is unlikely to be simple.
On Wednesday it was reported by Fabrizio Romano that Inter had seen their opening bid for Lukaku rejected. His report stated that the offer consisted of a £4.2 million loan fee which was swiftly rejected by the Blues. Talks are set to continue this week with the Italian giants now awaiting an asking price.
With Lukaku's departure becoming an increasing likelihood, Chelsea have started to be linked with new forwards including Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus. They had also been linked with Benfica's Darwin Nunez but the Uruguayan has since completed a move to Liverpool.
It is not just in attack where reinforcements are needed. Tuchel and Boehly are set for a hectic summer as they look to bolster both their defence and midfield options as well.
