Didier Drogba confirms Romelu Lukaku's return to Chelsea
Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has laid credence to reports that Romelu Lukaku is about to complete a sensational return to Stamford Bridge.
The Belgium international is reportedly close to signing a five-year contract with the Blues worth a fee of £97.5 million.
The deal is said to have been finalized pending an official announcement, with Lukaku set to undergo his medical in the coming week.
Now Didier Drogba has given the biggest indication that the move has been completed through his declaration on social media.
The Chelsea icon took to his official Twitter account and tweeted:
"He’s coming home @RomeluLukaku9 @ChelseaFC"
This was followed by a tick emoji minutes later.
Nothing is guaranteed yet until an official announcement is made, but Drogba's confident post on social media gives a strong indicator that the move has been finalized.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel was earlier asked about the club's links to Lukaku, but the German tactician respectfully declined to comment on the situation.
''I will not talk about players who don’t play in my squad. Romelu Lukaku is a fantastic player but he’s a player from Inter and with all due respect, I will not talk about him in this situation.''
If Chelsea completes the deal for Lukaku, it will continue a sensational career trajectory that has seen the 28-year-old represent some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Romelu Lukaku has unfinished business in England ahead of potential return to Chelsea
Romelu Lukaku came through at Anderlecht before joining Chelsea in 2011 at the tender age of 18 years.
A missed penalty in the 2013 UEFA Super Cup sealed his fate at Stamford Bridge, and Jose Mourinho sanctioned his sale to Everton.
A productive four-year spell at Goodison Park cemented his reputation as one of the best strikers in the league.
Manchester United completed his mega signing in the summer of 2017. However, Lukaku struggled to settle at Old Trafford, despite finishing as the club's top scorer in his two seasons in Manchester.
He faced unfair accusations from sections of the fanbase, while several of the club's legends lambasted him for the rather comical reason of having a poor 'first touch.'
The Belgium international moved to Inter Milan and took his game to monstrous levels under the astute management of Antonio Conte.
The Italian manager built his team around him, and Romelu Lukaku flourished in his new environment to become one of the very best strikers in the world.
He played a starring role as Inter Milan ended their 11-year wait for a major trophy by winning Serie A in 2021.
Lukaku has finished each of his two seasons at the San Siro as the club's top scorer. He has netted 64 goals in just 95 appearances across competitions for the Nerazzurri.
A potential move to Chelsea offers Lukaku a second shot at making a name for himself at his boyhood club. It also gives him an opportunity to debunk the unfounded criticisms which were unfairly leveled at him by the English press.
Also See: Fabrizio Romano's Transfer Roundup: Chelsea pushing for major signing, updates on Lukaku and Kane's futures and more