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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Alex Young

Romelu Lukaku to Arsenal: £60m bid tipped to tempt Chelsea into selling

Arsenal have been told to bid £60million to tempt Chelsea into selling Romelu Lukaku.

The striker have struggled in his second spell at Chelsea, scoring just eight Premier League goals - a third of his league tally during his final season with Inter Milan.

Lukaku is keen to return to the San Siro but Chelsea are hoping to recoup most of the £97m that spent last summer, though would entertain a loan-to-buy deal.

Former Gunners striker Paul Merson believes a £60m bid could seal the deal and see Arsenal sign a striker perfect for them.

"Arsenal should make a cheeky £60m bid for Romelu Lukaku," said Merson. "Because if Chelsea are so desperate to let him go that they're talking about loaning him to Inter Milan, surely they would take the money.

"I would be chasing Lukaku hard if I was Arsenal. I'd be trying my hardest. You don't have to do too much running at Arsenal. The way they play you want the centre forward to be up front and stay there. He would suit them. Arsenal have runners who could get in behind him and supply him with crosses.

(Getty Images)

"I would like to think Arsenal is a club Lukaku would consider. They're talking about him going back to Inter Milan. But Arsenal are as big a club as Inter. Arsenal may not be in the Champions League next season, but Inter are not winning it are they?

"Let's be honest. Players choose these places because it's easy. He knows he would score bundles of goals in Italy because it's a doddle. He'd be playing against teams that will lie down.

"The Premier League is not like that. It's hard enough to score against Norwich. But Lukaku would score goals for Arsenal."

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