HUGE Chelsea decision leaves Lukaku future hanging in the balance
Tom Weber
- Updated: 29 Jul 2023 10:29 BST
- 3 min read
Juventus have tested the water regarding a potential Romelu Lukaku loan, but Chelsea have other ideas, according to Italian media.
Romelu Lukaku's future is once again hanging in the balance after talks over his next move have reached an impasse - as they had previously done when Chelsea were negotiating with Inter.
That impasse was eventually overcome and the two clubs appeared to be making good progress until it was revealed that the Belgian had also been in talks with the Nerrazzuri's hated rivals from Turin. Inter left the negotiations and Juventus seemingly remain Lukaku's only possible destination.
Facilitating his departure is easier said than done, however. The Bianconeri have just been banned from the UEFA Conference League and hit with a hefty fine, exacerbating the club's financial issues which had already taken a massive hit due to the lack of Champions League football.
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To add insult to injury, the first domino in the European striker market is yet to fall, meaning that Dusan Vlahovic's potential departure has still not materialised. He could flush as much as €80 million into Juventus' coffers, but PSG, the club most prominently linked with him, are still trying to hijack Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund deal.
This leaves Lukaku in a precarious position.
Chelsea reject loan offer
Taking all of the above into account, Juventus have approached Chelsea with a loan offer for Lukaku as they can't afford to match the Blues' asking price unless Vlahovic is sold. Chelsea, however, rejected the bid out of hand, according to Tuttosport, reiterating their stance that they will only sell him permanently.
The Blues want to get the €113m man off the books for good, but with Juventus currently unable to pay, can anyone actually afford Lukaku? The Saudis could, of course, but the 30-year-old has already rejected Al-Hilal's approaches as he wants to remain in Europe.
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So, what next? Unless Chelsea are willing to lower their asking price, change their loan stance or Vlahovic leaves Juventus, it appears that this situation has once again reached an impasse as we head into the last month of the transfer window.
