Inter Milan chief Giuseppe Marotta hints Romelu Lukaku could return to Chelsea

Thomas Tuchel’s departure from Chelsea could see Romelu Lukaku return to Stamford Bridge at the end of the 2022-2023 campaign. 

The Belgian striker signed for Serie A giants Inter Milan on loan, just one year after leaving them for Chelsea in a whopping £97.5million deal. 

However, Inter’s director Giuseppe Marotta has said that talks with Chelsea will take place at the end of the season as the new Blues boss may want Lukaku to return to the club. 

Speaking to Sky Sports Italia, Marotta said: ‘It’s fresh news. I don’t know what the effects of the change of coach will be [for Lukaku’s future]. 

‘We want to get the best performance out of Lukaku, and then at the end of the season we will sit down and talk about him with Chelsea. I

He went on to add: ‘I don’t know if a change of coach means that his return is automatic, it’s difficult to predict today.’ 

Lukaku sealed a dramatic return to Inter earlier this summer and has contributed one goal and one assist in three games so far this season, with Inzaghi’s men eighth in the standings.

Owner Todd Boehly sacked Thomas Tuchel following defeat in the Champions League

Inter’s director Giuseppe Marotta has said the change in management could alter Lukaku’s future plans and said they will speak with Chelsea at the end of the season 

Lukaku’s return to Inter this summer on loan came after an unexpectedly poor return to former club Chelsea in which he managed only 13 goals in 42 games in all competitions, having arrived for a club-record fee of £97.5m in August 2021. 

Despite scoring three in his first four games. Lukaku then went goalless in the Premier League until December where he scored in successive games before another barren patch that lasted until May. 

Lukaku was also in Tuchel’s bad books after he criticised the Chelsea boss and suggested he wanted to rejoin Inter Milan in a bombshell Sky Italia interview at the end of December. 

Lukaku sparked controversy by implying he would leave Chelsea to return to his former club. He said: ‘I don’t think any of it [his departure] should have happened the way it did.

Lukaku struggled for form when he returned to Stamford Bridge and fell out of favour under the German manager Tuchel 

As a result he signed for Serie A giants Inter Milan on loan, just one year after leaving them for Chelsea in a whopping £97.5million deal (Lukaku pictured back in 2019)

‘The way I left Inter and the way I communicated with the Inter fans. I’m annoyed about that because it’s not the right time now but it wasn’t the right time when I left either.

‘I always said that I love Inter and I’ll play for them again. I really hope so. I fell in love with Italy. Now is the right time to talk about it and tell people what really happened, without saying anything bad about anyone, because I’m not like that.

‘I want to really apologise to the Inter fans because I don’t think I should have left Inter the way I did. I should have spoken to you guys first, especially after everything you did for me, for my family, my mum, my son. I’ll never forget that.

‘I hope from the bottom of my heart to go back to Inter and not at the end of my career but when I’m still at a good enough level to win more trophies.’  

As a result, Chelsea made the decision to send Lukaku back to his former club on loan during the summer transfer window.   

However, the 29-year-old striker – who has four years left on his contract at Stamford Bridge – could return to the club following the dismissal of Tuchel.