Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Romelu Lukaku desperate to leave Stamford Bridge; club leading race for Sevilla defender, and more - 4 June 2022
Chelsea finished third last season in the Premier League. Manager Thomas Tuchel’s wards lost two cup finals to Liverpool on penalties and were also knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku is desperate to leave Stamford Bridge this summer. Elsewhere, the Blues are leading the race for a Sevilla defender.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on 4 June 2022:
Romelu Lukaku desperate to leave Stamford Bridge
Romelu Lukaku is desperate to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
According to The Hard Tackle via The Telegraph, the Belgian striker is disillusioned with life at Chelsea and is planning to force a way out. He prefers to return to Serie A, with his former club Inter Milan emerging as a possible destination.
Lukaku arrived in London last season with a fierce reputation, having powered the Nerazzurri to the Serie A title.
The Blues broke the bank for the Belgian and were expected to take the league by storm with the 28-year-old leading the attack. Unfortunately, Lukaku’s time at Stamford Bridge has hardly been fruitful so far.
Romelu Lukaku trying to force Chelsea exit and return to Inter Milan | @JBurtTelegraph telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/… #CFC
The Belgian has struggled to find his footing at his old hunting ground and has looked a shadow of his former self.
Injuries have not helped his cause, while a controversial interview with Sky Sports Italia sparked the ire of fans. The player subsequently dropped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, ending the season with just 15 goals from 44 appearances across competitions.
Lukaku is now ready to end his nightmare with the London giants and wants to rekindle his association with Inter Milan.
The Belgian is even willing to take a 50% pay-cut to help the deal go through. The Nerazzurri are interested in his services, but Chelsea’s massive valuation of the player could be a deal breaker.
The Blues are open to a £20 million loan deal with a £70 million option to buy. The Nerazzurri, though, are in no position to match those figures, but things could change if they offload Lautaro Martinez.
Chelsea leading race for Jules Kounde
Chelsea are leading the race to sign Jules Kounde, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Thomas Tuchel is desperate to add more steel to his backline after the departure of Antonio Rudiger. With Andreas Christensen also likely to follow suit, a new world-class central defender is the need of the hour.
The Blues have reignited their interest in Kounde, having narrowly missed out on the Frenchman last summer.
#Sevilla Sevilla are considering many options to replace Diego Carlos, including Galatasaray's centre back Marcão. He's one of the candidates in the list. ⚪️🔴 #Sevilla
Important to remind that also Jules Koundé could leave the club this summer, with Chelsea leading the race.
Tuchel is eager to get his man this year, with Sevilla also open to a move. The London giants are now the favourites to secure Kounde’s signature this summer.
Sevilla have allowed the Frenchman’s defensive partner Diego Carlos to move to Aston Villa. The La Liga giants have now identified Galatasaray defender Marcao as the Brazilian’s replacement.
West Ham United eyeing Armando Broja move
West Ham United are eyeing a move for Armando Broja, according to Football Insider. The Hammers want to bring in a new striker this summer and have their eyes on the Albanian international.
The 20-year-old enjoyed a fruitful loan deal with Southampton in the recently concluded season. Broja scored nine times from 38 games, generating interest from clubs around the country.
The Albanian is all set to return to Chelsea this summer but could find it tough to break into the first team.
Thomas Tuchel is in the market for a new striker, so Broja could struggle to secure regular football. West Ham are planning to dive for the 20-year-old this summer. However, he is under contract with the Blues till 2026 and is likely to command a hefty transfer fee.