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Chelsea have hit yet another roadblock in their quest to sign Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan after CEO Giuseppe Marotta rejected the notion of the Belgian forward leaving the San Siro this summer.
Speaking to Italian outlet Mediaset (via the Mirror), the Inter Milan CEO confirmed Lukaku will not be moving to Chelsea as he is an integral part of Simone Inzaghi's plans for next season. Marotta said:
"From our side, we can yes absolutely, Lukaku is not for sale. Lukaku is an important piece on the chessboard available to Simone Inzaghi."
Romelu Lukaku is Chelsea's Plan-B if they fail to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund. However, the Blues will now have to find yet another alternative if they cannot bring back their former striker.
According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea are keeping a close eye on Sassuolo forward Domenico Berardi. The Blues were earlier interested in Federico Chiesa. However, Juventus are also not ready to sell one of their key players, forcing Chelsea to shift their attention to Berardi.
Thomas Tuchel's side will have to face tough competition from AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund to land the 26-year-old forward.
Also Read: Paul Merson's column - 5 most underrated players in the Premier League
Chelsea have prioritized attacking reinforcement in the transfer window
Despite winning the Champions League last season, Chelsea still have a massive hole in their striking department. The Blues spent £48 million on Timo Werner last summer. However, the German international has failed to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge.
Werner managed to score a mere 12 goals in 52 appearances last season, which has left manager Thomas Tuchel unimpressed. Chelsea are now in search of a replacement with Erling Haaland being their number one target.
Meanwhile, academy graduate Tammy Abraham is also on the cusp of an exit from Stamford Bridge. Premier League rivals Arsenal are in pole position to land Chelsea's number 9 on a loan deal. However, the Blues want to include an obligation to buy clauses in the future.
It has been a surprisingly quiet summer for Chelsea. Despite winning the Champions League, the Blues are yet to sign a new player in the ongoing transfer window.
However, Chelsea have sold fringe players like Victor Moses, Olivier Giroud and Fikayo Tomori, making room for new arrivals.
