Inter set high asking price for Chelsea to sign Romelu Lukaku

Inter are demanding at least €120 million (£102.5m) from Chelsea for Romelu Lukaku, according to reports in Italy.

The Champions League holders are in the market for a new leading striker and have identified Erling Haaland as their top target.

However, Borussia Dortmund are adamant that Haaland will remain with them for at least one more season, while Chelsea would need to pay in the region of £160m in order to sign the Norway international this summer.

Lukaku is also on Chelsea’s shortlist and the club had hoped that a deal for the Belgium international would be more feasible given Inter’s need to balance their finances before the transfer window ends.

However, Tuttosport report that the Serie A champions are now looking to retain their top players having sold Achraf Hakimi in a €71m (£60.7m) deal earlier this month.

The report claims that Chelsea would need to submit an offer of at least €120m (£102.5m) in order to tempt Inter into agreeing to a sale.

Lukaku, who joined Inter for £74m in 2019, has scored 64 goals in 95 appearances for the Italian club and played a key role in the team’s Serie A title win last season.

Shortly before the start of Euro 2020, Lukaku also publicly declared that he is planning to remain at Inter.

‘Yes, I am staying,’ the striker told VTM.

‘I’ve already had contact with the man who normally becomes our new manager [Simone Inzaghi]. Maybe I shouldn’t say that yet… but it was a very positive conversation.’

Chelsea are also understood to be considering Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski as an alternative signing to Haaland and Lukaku.

The Poland international has just two years left on his contract with Bayern and Chelsea have made enquiries to the striker’s representatives.

For more stories like this, check our sport page

Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Source: Read Full Article