Inter Milan and Chelsea are continuing their negotiations over Romelu Lukaku and the Belgian forward’s agent has now opened up on the prospective deal.
The Nerazzurri are in talks to sell their star striker amid a financial crisis at the club and Sportsmail revealed on Thursday that Chelsea are ready to agree a £95million deal with the Italian side within the next week.
Reports in Italy, including from Sky Sports Italia, claim Inter owner Steven Zhang is keen to press on with the sale of Lukaku despite opposition from head coach Simone Inzaghi and chief executive Bepe Marotta – while Lukaku is still happy in Milan.
Inter Milan are continuing negotiations with Chelsea over selling Romelu Lukaku for £95m
Lukaku’s agent, Fede Pastorello (left), says the reasons for leaving Inter will be revealed
And Lukaku’s representative, Fede Pastorello, has responded to one fan’s request to know more about the situation by claiming additional information on the potential deal will be revealed soon.
The 48-year-old agent said on Instagram on Thursday night: ‘You will hear our reasons soon, however it turns out.’
The comments from the agent appear to imply that the striker is not seeking a move away from the club but is rather being pushed out the door due to the club’s poor financial situation.
The coronavirus pandemic has plunged the club into economic downfall, with a £250million investment from Oaktree Capital at the end of May helping to keep the club afloat.
Inter owner Steven Zhang is keen to push the Lukaku sale through despite fierce opposition
But the Serie A champions still need to raise considerable funds in the transfer market and Lukaku is likely to follow Achraf Hakimi out of the Inter exit door, with tht right-back moving to Paris Saint-Germain for £60m earlier this summer.
Pastorello’s comments will not affect the negotiations between Zhang’s Inter and Chelsea, with the Chinese businessman, 29, currently based 9,000km away from Milan in his native China but is awaiting news about the Lukaku negotiations.
Chelsea and Inter are to hold further talks on Friday as they edge towards an agreement. The Blues have already had one offer of £85m-plus-Marcos Alonso rebuffed by the Nerazzurri with the Italian club preferring a cash-only deal.
Zhang’s Inter have serious financial woes caused by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic
Inter, meanwhile, have lined up Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata as Lukaku’s replacement, while Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham is being chased by the Colombian striker’s club in a £40m deal.
Zhang’s decision to let star striker Lukaku go, after a season in which he scored 30 goals in 44 matches to guide the Nerazzurri to their first Serie A title in 11 years, is being met with fierce opposition from the Inter community.
The Inter fans, who already demanded Zhang’s Suning company to ‘take responsibility or leave’ following title-winning coach Antonio Conte’s resignation in May, held up a banner outside the club’s headquarters saying ‘Board, pay attention… promises must be kept’ this week.
The banner relates to comments made by Inter chief executive Marotta, who stated Lukaku was not for sale this summer.
Lukaku was champions Inter’s top scorer last season but has now been put up for sale
‘From our side, we can yes absolutely, Lukaku is not for sale. Lukaku is an important piece on the chessboard available to Simone Inzaghi.’ Marotta told Sportmediaset last month.
Meanwhile, several Inter legends have criticised Zhang’s running of the club and have demanded that he sell the club as soon as possible to a hierarchy that will run the club properly.
Former Inter chief executive Ernesto Paolillo, who ran the club when Inter won the treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010, believes it is ‘the end for Suning at Inter’.
Zhang (right) has been criticised for his running of the club alongside CEO Bepe Marotta (left)
Paolillo told TMW Radio: ‘Lukaku proved himself to be the central figure around which a great Inter should be built, so being attracted by this offer means you are satisfied with one Scudetto and don’t want to build a great future.
‘It’s sad that they don’t want to invest or believe in this club. I think it’s the end for Suning at Inter. If nothing else, they’ve proved that they just want to make as much money as possible and keep it going until they find a buyer for the club, at which point what happens will no longer be their problem.
‘Had Suning wanted to continue at Inter, they would’ve sold Achraf Hakimi, but then kept Lukaku. This is effectively waving the white flag. I can only hope that Marotta still wants to lead Inter and smooth things over for the new buyer, because it’s for the best now that Suning abandons ship.’
Inter fans could take to the streets to oppose Lukaku’s sale and Zhang’s leadership
Meanwhile, Inter fan favourite Nicola Berti, who spent a decade as a Nerazzuri player in the 1980s and 1990s and also enjoyed a spell at Tottenham, claims fans could protest against Zhang’s ownership should the Lukaku sale go through.
Berti told Corriere dello Sport: ‘Lukaku must stay here in Milan, I’ll pay for it. If they sell him, (the fans) could even take to the streets.
‘Until it becomes official, we will wait to give judgments. I’m sorry, but I think Marotta is the only one able to guarantee a certain balance to the club.’