Incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino could decide to keep hold of striker Romelu Lukaku this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
Is Lukaku impressing this season?
The 29-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by Thomas Tuchel last summer, so he made the move to Inter Milan on a season-long loan. He was exceptional there in 2020/21, which initially earned him a return to Chelsea, but he hasn't done as well this time around, scoring just five goals in 20 Serie A appearances. He has netted three times in the Champions League, however, helping the Nerazzurri reach the semi-finals.
Once this season is done and dusted, Lukaku will return to Chelsea, where imminent new boss Pochettino will have a decision to make over his future. The Blues are badly in need of a top-quality centre forward ahead of next season and remains to be seen if the Argentine views the attacker as someone he wants to keep hold of.
Could Lukaku stay at Chelsea?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sheth failed to rule out of the prospect of Lukaku staying put at Stamford Bridge beyond this summer:
"You never know, a new manager might bring out the best in Romelu Lukaku. Everyone is immediately assuming that Lukaku probably won't play for the club again, but Mauricio Pochettino will probably want to assess everything that he's got before making any decisions about who's going to be staying in that squad and who's going to be leaving, simply because he will want to bring in some of his own players.
"And if he's going to bring in more players and spend even more money, there's going to definitely have to be more departures at that club as well."
This is an interesting update, and while some Chelsea supporters may not be enamoured with the idea of Lukaku staying put, it is only right that Pochettino gets a chance to assess him. He does turn 30 this year and his last spell at Stamford Bridge was poor – he only scored eight Premier League goals last season – but there is a chance that he could flourish under a different manager.
In truth, it would still be the best outcome to sell Lukaku permanently this summer and sign a younger elite option such as Napoli's Victor Osimhen, but he is still a proven goalscorer who could yet earn another opportunity to prove his worth in west London.
