Peter Day Atanley
Chelsea and Juventus will continue their efforts to engineer a partial swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku and Dusan Vlahovic, reports Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues want to offload Lukaku permanently after loaning him back to Inter Milan last season, and Juve have emerged as the frontrunners for the signature of Belgium’s record goalscorer, 30.
In return, Vlahovic could head to Stamford Bridge – although Juve are not interested in a straight, player-for-player exchange.
According to Romano, the Bianconeri are insisting on €40m plus Lukaku in return for Vlahovic – if, indeed, Chelsea want the Serbia striker, 23.
He explains that the fresh negotiations between the Blues and Juve “will take place via intermediaries”.
Vlahovic only joined Juventus from Fiorentina 18 months ago, but the Serie A giants are looking to raise substantial funds this summer amid financial difficulties – and the former Partizan Belgrade youngster is one of their top assets, with a current Expected Transfer Value of €51.6m.
As for Lukaku, the ex-Manchester United man still has three years left to run on his Chelsea contract, having re-joined the Blues in a then club-record €113m (£97.5m) move from Inter in August 2021.
But it’s fair to say his return to Stamford Bridge didn’t go at all according to plan – with a record of eight goals in 26 Premier League appearances (and 15 in 44 in all competitions) rather saying it all.
Lukaku fared slightly better at Inter last term, but he doesn’t look to have a future with either of his two most recent clubs.
Lukaku who is not going to be part of the squad this season is already at Chelsea and training separately from the first team squad at Cobhams.
But it could also be recalled just recently that fans invaded the Juventus training grounds in protest over the impending sighing of Lukaku who played for their rivals inter Milan Last season.
Chelsea have already made two big attacking additions this summer, bringing in Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig and Nicolas Jackson form Villarreal for a combined € 97m (£84m).
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