Manchester City Could Beat UCL Champions Chelsea In Race To Sign $142M Striker: Report

Chelsea reportedly want Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, who is also one of Manchester City’s targets this summer.

Thomas Tuchel, who tasted European success in his maiden season with Chelsea, is close to signing a new two-year deal and is aiming at making three signings at the 2021 summer market. He wants to bolster Chelsea’s attack and Lukaku is one of his targets, reported The Guardian.

Courtesy of Kai Havertz’s winner in Porto, Chelsea defeated first-time finalists Manchester City in the Champions League final Saturday to claim their second UCL trophy. With Sergio Aguero leaving Etihad Stadium on a free transfer this summer, Guardiola is looking for a long-term replacement and Lukaku is on his radar, according to Spanish publication Todo Fichajes.

Lukaku, who was signed by Inter Milan at a club record of around $97 million from Manchester United in 2019, has justified the price tag with his consistent performances. In his maiden term with Inter Milan, Lukaku scored 34 goals in 54 competitive games. He inspired Inter Milan to the Europa League final but they lost 3-2 to Seville.

In the 2020-21 season, Lukaku finished second in the Serie A netting 29 goals and leading Inter Milan to their first league title since 2009-10. While the club had a successful term, their ongoing financial crisis is forcing it to sell most of its star players. As a result, their title-winning head coach Antonio Conte has parted ways.

Chelsea’s manager Tuchel, who met the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, in person for the first time on Saturday, is expected to receive backing this transfer window. Even though Inter Milan would not want to lose someone of Lukaku’s quality, Chelsea are believed to test the San Siro club’s resolve in Lukaku’s transfer case.

Inter Milan are expected to demand an asking price as high as $142 million for Lukaku, according to soccer website Caughtoffside.

Meanwhile, new Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has called Lukaku for a meeting as the club wants to keep Lukaku as 'key player' despite interest from the Premier League clubs, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, who has a credible record in the transfer market.

After kickstarting his professional career at a Belgian club Anderlecht, Lukaku had moved to Premier League when Chelsea signed him in 2011. He remained at Stamford Bridge for two seasons, before being loaned off to West Brom and Everton. The Merseyside club eventually signed Lukaku permanently in 2014.

He scored 87 goals in 166 competitive games for Everton before he was roped in by Manchester United in 2017.