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Serie A champions Inter Milan have rejected Chelsea's massive player-plus-cash bid for star forward Romelu Lukaku, according to the Daily Mail.
The Blues have been chasing a world-class striker throughout the summer transfer window. The Champions League winners are rumored to be chasing Erling Haaland and Romelu Lukaku. They made their first move by tabling an offer for the Belgian.
Despite their financial issues, Inter Milan have rejected Chelsea's £88 million bid plus Marcos Alonso as they see Lukaku as a vital member of the squad.
The interest from Chelsea has not made any difference for Romelu Lukaku, who is happy to stay at Inter Milan for the upcoming season. Upon his arrival at pre-season training, the 28-year-old said:
"I'm thrilled to be back. We hope to continue down the path that we've started and to keep winning. All the players will work hard to make your dreams come true."
This comes as a massive blow to Chelsea, who have hit yet another roadblock in their quest to sign a new centre-forward.
Borussia Dortmund are also unwilling to let Erling Haaland leave this summer after already seeing Jadon Sancho depart for Manchester United.
Romelu Lukaku made just 15 first-team appearances for Chelsea before being sold to Everton in 2014. Since then, he has scored many goals for clubs like Manchester United and Inter Milan. The striker scored 24 Serie A goals last season as the Nerazzurri lifted the Scudetto for the first time since 2010.
Also Read: David James' column - Ranking the 5 best signings made in the transfer window so far
Chelsea have lacked a recognized striker for quite some time
Chelsea have been without a recognised forward ever since Diego Costa left Stamford Bridge in 2017. Since then, the Blues have failed to get consistent goals out of their forwards, be it Alvaro Morata or Timo Werner.
Timo Werner has been a massive disappointment for Thomas Tuchel. Chelsea paid close to £45 million for the Germany international, but he has failed to replicate his Bundesliga form in the Premier League.
Signing a new striker has now become a priority for Tuchel.
