Chelsea are ready to sell Romelu Lukaku after Jay-Z ruling

Chelsea are ready to sell Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan and lose out on million, according to reports in Italy.

The striker returned to Chelsea from Inter in a club-record £97.5 million transfer in 2021 but struggled.

Lukaku gave an interview in December claiming he wanted to return to Inter in the future, which infuriated Blues supporters and the hierarchy.

He sealed a move back to the San Siro on a season-long loan last summer and Inter paid an €8 million loan fee in addition to his wages for the full year.

The 29-year-old is keen to stay in Italy and according to Gazzetta dello Sport, all three sides are happy to extend that loan by a year and seal a permanent transfer in 2024.

Gazzetta went on to suggest new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is a close friend of rapper Jay-Z, who runs the Roc Nation agency Lukaku is assigned to.

He's said to have claimed Lukaku staying with Inter will be the best option available.

The Belgium international has played three games this season, scoring on his second debut.

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He's not played since August however after suffering a thigh injury.

Chelsea managed to replace Lukaku with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang while Armando Broja has also been integrated into the first team.

Lukaku signed with Roc Nation in 2018, during his time at Manchester United. It made him the first Premier League based footballer to sign with the agency.

Lukaku told reporters during Inter's kit launch: "The biggest challenge of my career will be this season here. I left. It was a mistake.

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"Now I am happy to be wearing this jersey, the team knows what we need to do, it’ll be a great challenge this season and we need to continue like this."

Inter are currently seventh in Serie A having lost four games so far this campaign.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are unbeaten under new manager Graham Potter and sit fourth in the table.