Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has lamented the transfer situation surrounding the exiled Romelu Lukaku, as detailed in a tweet by journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Lukaku was transfer listed before the Argentinian joined the club earlier in the year, but plans have not changed – they are still looking to move the 30-year-old to another club in the summer.
Pochettino understands the fans’ frustrations regarding the lack of movement in the Lukaku transfer saga. However, he has urged fans to examine the bigger picture at hand, saying ‘you cannot put it only on the club’.
In Romano’s tweet, Pochettino is quoted as saying: “Romelu Lukaku situation was clear before I arrived between the club and the player. For us, there’s nothing to do.
“It’s not only one side. It’s two sides. It’s two sides to try to find the best solution. You cannot put it only on the club.”
Who is interested in signing Romelu Lukaku?
Lukaku has been linked with a host of clubs over the course of the ongoing summer transfer window, including Inter Milan, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.
However, it seems likely that he will not be joining any of the four clubs mentioned any time soon. Talks between Inter Milan and the player have collapsed, while reports of him being linked with Inter and Spurs have since been rubbished. Meanwhile, Villa’s interest came before the transfer market opened its doors – it is not clear if their interest is still active.
Could Romelu Lukaku still have a role to play at Chelsea?
While Lukaku is a talented striker with an impressive pedigree, the relationship between the club and the player is simply too strained for them to enjoy an harmonious relationship at this point.
Lukaku has stated multiple times that he has no interest in continuing to be a Chelsea player – moreover, the Blues are now looking at life beyond the Belgian international.
Additionally, when Lukaku led the line for Chelsea back in the 2021/22 season, he looked noticeably below par. In total, during his second stint at Chelsea, he scored just eight goals in 26 Premier League appearances.