Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Romelu Lukaku will join Internazionale, just a year after joining Chelsea for a £101.7m. The deal will be a loan move, with the fee worth €8m (£6.86m) to Chelsea, with some unspecified add-ons relating to Inter’s performance next season.
Perhaps the most interesting detail of a deal that seemed destined to happen was that no buy option, obligatory or optional, was included in the deal.
Romelu Lukaku returns to Inter, here we go and confirmed! Full agreement now signed on loan deal until June 2023, €8 loan fee plus add-ons. ??? #CFC #Inter
?? Lukaku’s salary will be around €8m.
?? NO buy option or obligation clause.
?? Add-ons related to team performances. pic.twitter.com/3sEeQtfXs0
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 21, 2022
The chances of Chelsea being able to recoup their money seem slim, given few teams will want to risk so much on a 29-year-old with a history of struggling at the top end of the Premier League. Lukaku returns to Serie A after a 15-goal season for the Blues, but by the end, it appeared as if his relationship with manager Thomas Tuchel had broken down.
Despite the desire of the player and the club, the move patently didn’t work out. Lukaku’s past season is a firm reminder that even the players that seemingly fit a team’s needs like a glove can go horribly awry. The number of influencing factors are numerous and unpredictable, whereas in some cases, like with Inter, the fit between the two can be natural.
