Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has been linked with a move away from the club this summer.
He has been linked with a move to Italian club Napoli and the Blues have already set an asking price for him. According to Ben Jacobs, Chelsea will not sanction his departure below €40 million.
Napoli were hoping to sign him on loan with an obligation to buy for a fee of around €30 million. However, the proposal is set to be rejected. It will be interesting to see if Napoli return with an improved offer for the player.
The 31-year-old striker was on loan at Roma last season and he scored 21 goals in all competitions. He could have been a quality acquisition for Napoli.
The Italian outfit are likely to lose Victor Osimhen this summer and Lukaku would have been the ideal replacement for the Nigerian international. He is well settled in Serie A and he could have made an instant impact at Napoli. He has played under the Napoli Antonio Conte in the past and he knows the Italian’s philosophy well. Lukaku helped Conte win the league title with Inter Milan and manager knows his strengths.
Napoli need to sign Romelu Lukaku
It will be interesting to see if Napoli can convince Chelsea to sanction the departure of the Belgian international. Lukaku does not have a future at Stamford Bridge and he will be hoping to leave the club permanently and focus on his football once again. He will want to play for a competitive club capable of winning trophies and Napoli will be an exciting destination.
The striker is very much at the peak of his powers and he could fill the void left by Osimhen if the 25-year-old decides to move on. He has the quality to justify the investment as well.