Chelsea transfer news: Romelu Lukaku on the brink of rejoining the Blues
A club-record £97.5million fee has been agreed for the Inter Milan striker, who scored 30 goals last season
Romelu Lukaku is on the brink of rejoining Chelsea for a club-record fee, seven years after leaving Stamford Bridge.
According to Sky Sports, the first part of his medical has been completed and he flew to London last night to confirm a £97.5millon move.
Inter Milan were reluctant to sell Lukaku after his goals fired them to their first Serie A title since 2010, but financial issues have forced them to cash in.
With rising debts, and uncertainty surrounding the club’s Chinese owners, valuable assets had to be sold to raise money and reduce the club’s huge wage bill.
Antonio Conte stepped down shortly after guiding Inter to the title, with former Lazio manager Simone Inzaghi appointed as his replacement.
Last month, Achraf Hakimi left for Paris Saint-Germain after a single year at the San Siro and now Romelu Lukaku is set to become the club’s latest high-profile departure.
The Belgian international didn’t score once during his first spell at Chelsea but netted 113 goals in the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Manchester United.
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He arrived at the club as a teenager and was given few opportunities to impress as more experienced players were routinely selected ahead of him.
Lukaku enjoyed two productive seasons on loan at West Brom and then Everton, who he joined permanently in July 2014.
He flourished at Goodison Park, scoring 26 league goals in his final season, a total bettered only by Harry Kane.
A move to Manchester United followed for an initial fee of £75million but he fell out of favour after Jose Mourinho was replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Lukaku will now become the focal point of Thomas Tuchel’s new-look Chelsea team and the man tasked with converting the wealth of chances they create.
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