Manchester City, PSG To Battle It Out To Sign Ex-Manchester United $96M Star: Report

Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reportedly are planning to chase Romelu Lukaku, who is currently contracted with Inter Milan, ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

While City are looking at Lukaku as a long-term replacement for Sergio Aguero, new PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino is on a hunt for a solid No. 9, who believes the former Manchester United star could be a great fit in Paris, as reported by Italian media outlet Calciomercato.

Since Inter Milan are officially on sale because of their financial crisis, Lukaku being their highest-paid player will have to part ways despite being contracted until 2024, the report said. In addition to that, Inter Milan would want to make the most of the high market price of the Belgian forward, who earns around $9 million per season at the Nerazzurri.

When Pep Guardiola's Manchester City took the field at Anfield against Liverpool on Sunday, the side was without a recognized striker, with both Gabriel Jesus and Aguero missing. The 32-year-old Aguero, who has been associated with Manchester City for a decade now, is expected to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer. Because of injuries and illness, Aguero has made only nine competitive appearances in 2020-21 and is yet to score.

Lukaku, who represented Manchester United between 2017 and 2019, is widely admired at the other Manchester-based club and is being considered as a replacement for Aguero, the Athletic has reported. It has also stated that there are no talks about Lukaku's return to Old Trafford.

The Calciomercato report has also mentioned that Manchester City and PSG are keeping an eye on events at Inter Milan and are waiting for the "right moment" to approach the Serie A club with a bid for Lukaku, who was signed at a club record of $96 million from Manchester United in the summer of 2019.

On arrival from Old Trafford to Inter Milan in 2019, Lukaku hardly took time to settle in as he netted 34 goals in 51 competitive matches in his maiden season in Italy. In the ongoing season, the 27-year-old has already scored 20 goals, including 14 in 20 Serie A matches, as Inter Milan are second in the league table, only two points behind leaders AC Milan.