Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta has confirmed Romelu Lukaku will return to Chelsea when his loan deal expires at the end of the season.
Lukaku joined Inter Milan on a season-long loan deal in June after spending just one season back at Chelsea following a £97.5million move from the Italian side.
The 29-year-old has scored five goals in 17 appearance for Inter during what has proved to be an injury-hit campaign for the Belgian.
Inter have not entirely closed the door and may talk to Chelsea once the existing loan agreement expires but the financial practicalities make rolling it over difficult.
Marotta believes Inter haven’t seen the best of Lukaku due to his lack of fitness and the mid-season 2022 World Cup.
Speaking to Sky Italia, Marotta said: “The loan was for one season so on June 30 regardless of how well he plays, he’ll go back to Chelsea. This has been an unprecedented season.
“I’m referring of course to the (winter) World Cup. The problems we’ve experienced have been experienced by other clubs too and the players who played at the World Cup.
“Lukaku is a case in point. (Marcelo) Brozovic isn’t the Brozovic we know. Lukaku hasn’t found the fitness he needs to play his best football. He’s still not at his best or the player we got to see in years gone by.”
Lukaku, who was previously a Chelsea player between 2011 and 2014, scored 15 goals in 44 games for Chelsea last season.
The Belgium international helped Inter to their first Serie A title in 11 years during the 2020-21 campaign by scoring 24 league goals.
Chelsea’s attacking options currently include Kai Havertz, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, David Datro Fofana and loanee Joao Felix.
The Blues are understood to have committed to paying more than the €60million release clause in Christopher Nkunku’s RB Leipzig contract to secure him ahead of time and avoid a more intense battle for his services this summer.
