How much is Romelu Lukaku’s loan fee from Inter to Chelsea?
FT Desk
- Updated: 19 Jun 2022 12:32 CDT
- 3 min read
Chelsea are demanding a loan fee of €10 million in order for Romelu Lukaku to return to Inter Milan for the 2022-23 season.
Chelsea and Inter are in direct talks about Lukaku moving back to San Siro on a one-year loan and the two clubs held official discussions this week.
According to multiple sources, the talks were positive.
Lukaku signed for Chelsea from Inter in the summer of 2021 for a club record €115m but endured a miserable 2021-22 campaign.
He scored just eight Premier League goals, lost his place in the team and was involved in controversy off the pitch as he openly criticised manager Thomas Tuchel and declared he regretted leaving Inter.
Lukaku and Chelsea are now in talks over a return to Inter.
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Inter cannot afford to sign Lukaku permanently, so are in discussions over a one-year loan.
Chelsea and Inter in talks over Lukaku
In order for Chelsea to not register a capital loss on their accounts, they would have to receive a loan fee of €23m.
That €23m represents the amortised value of one year of Lukaku’s transfer fee on the books.
Lukaku’s €115m transfer fee is spread out over the five years on his Chelsea contract, so one year is equal to €23m.
It was believed that Chelsea would demand this but, according to Sky, they are requesting only €10m for a one-year loan.
Inter made an opening bid of a one-year loan for €5m plus €2m in add-ons.
They are expected to improve that bid in the coming days to €10m but all sources expect a deal to be reached.
The Belgian is desperate to quit and has made it clear that he only wants to return to the San Siro, and no other club.
Lukaku is prepared to take a wage cut to make that happen, with his current earning of €19.8m a year well over what Inter can afford.
The 29-year-old enjoyed two outstanding years at Inter from 2019 to 2021, helping the club win the Scudetto in his second season under Antonio Conte.
Inter are also in negotiations to sign Paulo Dybala on a free transfer and have completed the €14m signing of Empoli midfielder Kristjan Asslani.
