Romelu Lukaku’s future has taken a twist as Chelsea recently withdrew from negotiations with Juventus regarding a swap deal involving the Belgian striker and Dusan Vlahovic.
The player has not been included in Mauricio Pochettino’s pre-season squad, indicating both Lukaku and Chelsea’s intention to secure a transfer elsewhere this summer. However, so far, no team has matched the Blues’ asking price of €40 million.
Juventus expressed interest in Lukaku, much to the displeasure of their supporters, who protested against the potential transfer due to the player’s previous association with Inter, a rival club.
Despite the controversy, Juve still wanted to pursue Lukaku but faced a hurdle as Vlahovic needed to be sold. As a result, the Italian club engaged in talks with Chelsea regarding a swap deal.
Unfortunately for Juve, talks came to an end following a disagreement over valuation. Sky Sport Italia reported that Chelsea terminated negotiations due to the gap in valuation between Vlahovic and Lukaku.
Juventus demanded €40 million plus Lukaku for the Serbian striker, whereas Chelsea had offered €25 million along with Lukaku.
In addition, Pochettino’s side reportedly showed little interest in Vlahovic, leading to their overall withdrawal from the potential deal involving the 23-year-old.
The situation leaves Lukaku’s future hanging in the balance. He has become unwanted at Chelsea following a controversial interview shortly after his €113 million move to the club in 2021.
In the interview, Lukaku criticized then-manager Thomas Tuchel and expressed his desire to return to his former club, Inter.
Consequently, Chelsea loaned Lukaku back to Inter last season. Despite a challenging season marred by injuries, Inter was open to signing him permanently at the right price. However, Lukaku’s negotiations with Juventus caused the club to label him a “traitor.”
Lukaku’s options for remaining in Europe are dwindling, with only teams from Saudi Arabia reportedly willing to meet Chelsea’s valuation.
It is worth noting that Lukaku rejected a move to Saudi Arabia earlier in the summer. Juventus could revive their interest in Lukaku if they manage to sell Vlahovic elsewhere.
Furthermore, Bayern Munich is said to be considering Lukaku as an alternative if their pursuit of Harry Kane fails. This scenario suggests that a transfer for Lukaku could still materialize later in the transfer window.