Chelsea to keep Felix as Pochettino lines up Lukaku strike partnership

Tom Hancock

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:37 CDT
• 3 min read

Chelsea are set to extend Joao Felix’s loan stay at Stamford Bridge and want to give Romelu Lukaku another shot, with prospective new head coach Mauricio Pochettino keen to pair the duo up front.

Felix, 23, joined the Blues on loan from Atletico Madrid in January – and while Atletico are said to be keen to offload the Portugal international on a permanent basis, his reported price tag of just under €100m (£88m) may make another loan the more likely option.

As for Lukaku, the 29-year-old Belgium international has spent this season back on loan at Inter Milan – having flopped under Thomas Tuchel after returning to Chelsea in the summer of 2021.

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According to The Sun, Chelsea plan to hold talks with Lukaku to convince him to return to the club – with Tuchel long since gone.

The report adds that Felix has sought reassurances that he will see regular game-time should Pochettino step into the dugout as expected.

Felix is also said to be happy to remain with the Blues despite their almost certain lack of European football next season.

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Blunt Blues attack in dire need of sharpening

Following a disastrous debut against Fulham which saw him sent off within an hour, Felix has settled in well at Chelsea – despite the team’s struggles, which have only worsened since Graham Potter was sacked and replaced with interim manager Frank Lampard.

Lukaku has also come into some good form of late, helping Inter set up a Champions League semi-final with arch-rivals AC Milan and taking his goals tally for the campaign to 10 in all competitions – despite largely being used as a substitute.

It goes without saying that Chelsea need to sharpen their attack, though: their top scorer in 2022/23, Kai Havertz, has found the net only seven times in league and cup.