Romelu Lukaku feels as though he is being ‘forced out’ from Chelsea amid a potential departure from the club in the summer, according to reports.
Lukaku joined the Blues last summer for a club record fee of around £97.5m, but he only netted 15 goals in 44 appearances during his second stint at Stamford Bridge.
Questions are now being raised over his future at the side, and some reports are suggesting that he could make a return to Inter Milan after just one year away from the San Siro.
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It was at Inter where he won the 2020/21 Serie A title, scoring 30 goals in a highly successful campaign in Italy.
According to Nathan Gissing, it is believed that Lukaku does not ‘feel important’ at Chelsea, and feels as though he is being ‘forced out’ of the club.
The Blues are also said to be open to letting him leave Stamford Bridge in the summer transfer window, and a return to Inter could be on the cards for the 29-year-old.
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Lukaku’s return to Chelsea was far from ideal for the striker, having suffered an ankle injury early on in the season after such an impressive start to his comeback.
His future then began to hang in the balance at the turn of the year when he sat down with Sky Italia in a controversial interview, revealing that he was not happy with his situation at the club.
Thomas Tuchel subsequently dropped him from the squad to face Liverpool in their first game of 2022, with the Blues drawing 2-2 against the Reds.
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He also revealed his intentions of making a return to his former club at some point in his career and with the summer transfer window fast approaching, the striker could soon see his wish granted.
Inter are reportedly keen on bringing him back to the club this summer, with their head coach Simone Inzaghi hopeful of signing the forward in the coming weeks and months.
Lukaku joined Inter in 2019 from Manchester United and played at the San Siro for two seasons before making the move back to Chelsea.
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He went on to score 64 goals and provide 16 assists in 95 appearances across all competitions for the side, making him one of the most prolific strikers in Europe.
If he was to depart this summer Tuchel’s side may look to bring in a replacement, with Robert Lewandowski and Rafael Leao both being linked with moves.
Topics: Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Inter Milan
Robert Calcutt