Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain are keen on making a move for Chelsea flop Romelu Lukaku this summer, following the difficult start to his second spell at the club.
The Lowdown: Unhappy Return
It continues to be a deeply frustrating second-coming at Stamford Bridge for the 28-year-old, with the 6 foot 3 colossus scoring just five goals in 12 Premier League starts since his £97.5m move from Inter Milan last summer.
The Belgian hotshot – who is the leading marksman for his country with 68 goals in 101 appearances – had revived his form during his two-year spell in Italy after a disappointing stint at Manchester United, although will now perhaps be regretting his decision to trade Milan for west London.
The situation reached boiling point back in January after the former Everton man’s much-publicised comments during a bombshell interview – for which he was dubbed “disrespectful” by club legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – with manager Thomas Tuchel seemingly yet to fully trust his marquee arrival, hence the current speculation regarding a possible change of club at the end of the season.
The Latest: Interest from Abroad
As per Football Insider, uber-rich Paris Saint-Germain are ‘interested’ in making a move for the typically prolific forward in the upcoming transfer window, as the Parisien side prepare for life without current talisman Kylian Mbappe.
The World Cup-winning sensation is out of contract in just a matter of months and has been heavily linked with the club’s Champions League last-16 victors Real Madrid, while the report also suggests that summer arrival Lionel Messi faces an uncertain future at the Parc des Princes, amid rumours of a possible speedy return to former club Barcelona.
While the report does not go on to suggest whether Lukaku would favour a move to France – nor whether Tuchel and co would sanction a sale – a recent exclusive from the same publication did suggest that the player is ‘not happy’ with his current situation, having not started any of the Blues’ last four top-flight games.
Football Insider have also previously revealed claims of a bust-up between the player and manager, with a source suggesting that the German was unhappy with Lukaku’s weight following injury.
The Verdict: Cut Your Losses
Although it may seem a hasty decision to cash in on a player who has already netted 118 Premier League goals across his top tier career in English football, the current doom and gloom around his role at the club may mean it simply time for all parties to part ways, particularly amid the club’s current financial difficulties.
Those current sanctions and a potential change of ownership could reportedly lead to a mass exodus from Chelsea to generate funds through player sales, hence the club’s possible willingness to allow Lukaku to depart, although even on a purely football level it would seem that his face simply doesn’t fit in Tuchel’s relentless machine.
The German coach – who guided the club to European glory last term without the aid of the £325k-per-week addition – has seemingly favoured former Bayer Leverkusen starlet Kai Havertz in a centre-forward/false nine position, leaving his more senior teammate resigned to a bit-part, substitute role which will likely only serve to create more headaches for both club and manager.
