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Chelsea are preparing to get back to their best in the upcoming campaign. Last season, manager Thomas Tuchel lost two cup finals to Liverpool and endured a frustrating time in the Premier League as well as the UEFA Champions League.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan are confident of signing Romelu Lukaku. Elsewhere, the Blues have received a blow in their pursuit of a Brighton & Hove Albion full-back.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on June 18, 2022:
Inter Milan confident of securing Romelu Lukaku
Inter Milan are confident of securing the services of Romelu Lukaku, according to acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Belgian striker is eager to leave Chelsea this summer after failing to find his footing since arriving last year. The London side are also ready to offload the player as they look to revamp their attack after a disappointing season.
Lukaku managed just 15 goals from 44 games in the recently concluded campaign. His poor form cost the team on the pitch, while his off-field controversies irked fans.
The Belgian is desperate to end his Stamford Bridge nightmare and wants to rejoin the Nerazzurri. The Serie A giants are also ready to take him back, provided a move suits their finances.
The two clubs are set to initiate direct contact soon to facilitate a deal. Inter are optimistic about getting their man and are waiting to learn the Blues’ final valuation of the player. The Premier League side are open to a loan deal too.
Chelsea receive blow in Marc Cucurella pursuit
Chelsea have received a blow in their pursuit of Marc Cucurella.
According to The Athletic via The Hard Tackle, the Spanish full-back prefers to join Manchester City over a move to Stamford Bridge. The 23-year-old enjoyed a brilliant debut season with Brighton & Hove Albion after joining them last summer. Cucurella appeared 38 times for the Seagulls, scoring one goal.
His exploits earned him admirers around the league, with the Blues eager to add him to their roster. Thomas Tuchel wants a new left-back this summer amid the uncertain future of Marcos Alonso, who has been linked to Barcelona.
His departure would leave Ben Chilwell as the only recognised left-back in the squad. The German manager wants to address the issue by roping in Cucurella, but the 23-year-old wants to join the Cityzens instead.
Steve Nicol backs Robert Lewandowski to turn down move to Stamford Bridge
ESPN pundit Steve Nicol has backed Robert Lewandowski to turn down a move to Chelsea and join Barcelona instead. The Polish striker is all set to leave Bayern Munich this summer. The London giants are among the clubs linked with a move for the 33-year-old.
However, speaking recently, Nicol said that joining the Blues could be a risky proposition for Lewandowski.
“[For Lewandowski] to go to Chelsea is going to be a lot more demanding physically. The players around him are not going to be as good. What are the chances of them winning the league? They are way, way behind Liverpool and [Manchester] City,” said Nicol.
He added:
“They’ve got a lot of signings to be made in this window. They don’t even know who they’re going to get yet, so why would you join a team that’s in a little bit of a limbo as far as being at the top of the tree? I think if Lewandowski is given a choice, I think the obvious one is Barcelona.”
