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Inter Milan CEO Marotta: Lukaku to return to Chelsea after loan
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Romelu Lukaku of Inter Milan sits on the bench during the second-leg game of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Porto at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, March 14, 2023. /CFP
Romelu Lukaku of Inter Milan sits on the bench during the second-leg game of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Porto at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, March 14, 2023. /CFP

Romelu Lukaku of Inter Milan sits on the bench during the second-leg game of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Porto at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, March 14, 2023. /CFP

Belgian star striker Romelu Lukaku will go back to Chelsea after finishing his loan contract with Inter Milan at the end of the 2022-23 season, the Italian club's CEO Beppe Marotta confirmed on Tuesday.

"The loan was for one season so on June 30 regardless of how well he plays, he'll go back to Chelsea. This has been an unprecedented season," Marotta told Sky Italia. "I'm referring of course to the (winter) World Cup. The problems we've experienced have been experienced by other clubs too and the players who played at the World Cup."

"Lukaku is a case in point. (Marcelo) Brozovic isn't the Brozovic we know. Lukaku hasn't found the fitness he needs to play his best football. He's still not at his best or the player we got to see in years gone by," Marotta added.

Lukaku has a completed history with both Inter and Chelsea. He was first acquired by Chelsea from RSC Anderlecht in 2011. He has played 59 games for the English heavyweights since then and scored 15 goals and three assists. During that period of time, Chelsea sent him away multiple times on loan to different clubs, including West Bromwich Albion, Everton, and, of course, Inter.

Romelu Lukaku (L) of Inter Milan shoots in the second-leg game of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Porto at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, March 14, 2023. /CFP
Romelu Lukaku (L) of Inter Milan shoots in the second-leg game of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Porto at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, March 14, 2023. /CFP

Romelu Lukaku (L) of Inter Milan shoots in the second-leg game of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Porto at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, March 14, 2023. /CFP

Lukaku joined Everton on a permanent basis in 2014. Three years after that, Manchester United landed him, then sold his contract to Inter two years later in 2019. Lukaku scored 74 goals and 16 assists for Inter in 95 games in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 campaigns, helping the club win their first Serie A title in 11 years in the 2020-2021 season. After that, Chelsea brought him back to Stamford Bridge for a season before sending him back to Inter on loan.

Having appeared in only 18 competitions for Inter so far this season, Lukaku had only five goals and one assist. According to The Athletic, the club has not lost all hope of bringing him back again, but they are not in the best financial situation to pay what Chelsea want for Lukaku.

Chelsea are unlikely to keep Lukaku either with all the offensive weapons they have, namely Kai Havertz, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, David Datro Fofana and Joao Felix. The team is also willing to pay Red Bull Leipzig a high price for Christopher Nkunku, according to The Athletic.

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