Rating every club’s chances of signing Lukaku this month

Carlo Garganese

• 2 Jan 2022 14:25 GMT
• 6 min read

Romelu Lukaku’s future at Chelsea is shrouded in doubt after he was sensationally dropped from the squad to play Liverpool following a controversial interview in which he criticised his coach.

Lukaku hit the headlines during an unauthorised interview with Sky Italia as he admitted that he was unhappy at Chelsea, slammed coach Thomas Tuchel for his tactics and revealed that he wanted to return to Inter.

The 28-year-old was dropped altogether from the squad for the Premier League match with Liverpool and there are reports that he wants to quit Chelsea immediately in January.

So where could he go?

FootballTransfers runs through a list of possible destinations and breaks down what is possible and impossible in terms of a next move.

Inter

Lukaku made it crystal clear during his interview with Sky Italia’s Matteo Barzaghi that he regrets how he left Inter last summer and that "I really hope from the bottom of my heart to return to Inter not at the end of my career, but when I'm still at top level to win more together.”

Barzaghi’s brother Marco has since claimed that Lukaku told his sibling off camera that he was deeply unhappy in London and was desperate to rejoin Inter immediately in January.

Thus, Inter definitely appear to be Lukaku’s favoured destination but a return this month seems very difficult. The Nerazzurri are in a financial crisis and certainly can’t afford to pay a suitable transfer fee for a player who cost Chelsea €115 million only six months ago.

Furthermore, Inter’s Ultras have still not fully forgiven Lukaku for leaving, while the Belgian’s replacement Edin Dzeko has been a revelation this season – meaning the Italians don’t particularly need their former striker back.

Juventus

Juventus are in the market for a striker in January, having endured a disastrous season up until now. The Bianconeri are struggling to finish in the top four and have the worst offensive record in the top half of the Serie A table.

Juve are in negotiations with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid for Alvaro Morata to leave Turin this month and join the Catalans on loan.

The Bianconeri would definitely jump at the chance of signing Lukaku as a replacement, having already been in advanced negotiations to swap him for Paulo Dybala during the summer where the Belgian eventually left Man Utd for Inter.

But Lukaku insisted in the same interview that has caused all this trouble that he would never join Juve. Furthermore, the Bianconeri like Inter, would only be able to afford Lukaku on loan.

PSG

PSG need to work on their attacking options in 2022. Kylian Mbappe will almost certainly leave the club on a Bosman transfer in the summer in order to join Real Madrid.

Mauro Icardi is also available for transfer at the right price, with Juventus having already enquired about taking him in January.

Meanwhile, Neymar turns 30 next month and the struggling Lionel Messi is 35 in the summer.

PSG will need to sign at least one big-name forward and there are few bigger than Lukaku. The Parisians will match Lukaku’s ambition in terms of chasing Champions League glory also.

Finally, PSG will have no problem affording Lukaku’s transfer fee or wages.

Man City

Manchester City have done just fine without a number nine this season as they appear to be romping towards another Premier League title.

However, signing a natural striker remains a priority for the club in order to take them to the final level and finally win that much-coveted Champions League title.

City tried to sign Lukaku last summer before he eventually returned to Chelsea and they will surely be interested in returning for him in 2022.

Whether or not City would want to change a winning formula in January given their winning run is debatable but they would be interested in the summer.

Would Chelsea sell Lukaku to a direct rival though?

Man Utd

Like their city rivals, Man Utd would have no trouble funding the signing of Lukaku but this transfer can be immediately ruled out.

Lukaku has been very public about how miserable he was during his spell at Man Utd, particularly during his final season there when he was lampooned for his poor touch and his weight.

The Belgian would simply not accept a return to Old Trafford. And Man Utd would not be interested either, despite the fact that they themselves need a long-term number nine given that Cristiano Ronaldo turns 37 next month.

Tottenham

It has been suggested that a sensational swap deal could be on the cards in 2022 during which Chelsea and Tottenham swap Lukaku and Harry Kane.

Lukaku wants out of Chelsea, while Kane infamously tried to force a move through to Man City last summer.

It is no secret that Lukaku is Conte’s favourite player and that Conte is Lukaku’s favourite coach after the pair worked brilliantly together at Inter.

Both players are 28, so a straight swap could make financial and sporting sense, right?

While all this is true, the two clubs are bitter rivals and rarely ever do any transfer business together. Also, while Lukaku probably wouldn’t have a problem joining Spurs, would Kane want to burn his bridges with Spurs fans by joining their enemy?

Real Madrid

Real Madrid will 99 per cent sign Kylian Mbappe this summer but their spending in their attacking department won’t end there.

It is widely reported that they are looking for a long-term replacement for Karim Benzema, who recently turned 34.

Benzema is still one of the best strikers in the world but Madrid know they must find a successor fast.

Erling Haaland is the number one option and Madrid are the current favourites to sign him when his €75 million release clause is generated in the summer.

But Lukaku would be an excellent alternative, and the player also admitted in his Sky Italy interview that it’s a club that interests him.

Barcelona

Lukaku said the same about Barcelona, who themselves are searching for a number 9 this month.

Xavi has singled out Alvaro Morata, who is currently in his final six months on loan at Juventus. Barca are in negotiations with Juve and Morata’s parent club Atletico Madrid about bringing the Spaniard to Camp Nou on an 18-month contract.

Should this move go through then we can rule out Barcelona completely from signing Lukaku.

It’s also a transfer that seems impossible for Barcelona to fund. They are €1.3 billion in debt and they need to lower their wage bill massively just to comply with La Liga rules.

Nevertheless, we could have raised the same concerns about Barcelona being able to afford Ferran Torres before they completed a €65m move for the Man City wideman last week!