Chelsea’s hopes of finalising a deal for Inter striker Romelu Lukaku could rest on the player foregoing bonus payments owed to him by the Nerazzurri.
As reported in today’s newspaper edition of Corriere dello Sport, negotiations between the two clubs are at an advanced stage but Chelsea are still €10 million short of Inter’s €120m asking price, with the Nerazzurri unwilling to accept players in exchange to bring the price down.
Whilst it is believed that a compromise is likely to be reached and Inter will settle for €115m, Lukaku is not expected to complete a move ahead of Chelsea’s European Super Cup clash against Villarreal on Wednesday.
The deal is further complicated by outstanding payments owed to the Belgium international by Inter, including bonuses for winning the Scudetto last season.
The Nerazzurri may seek to push Lukaku to forego these payments and lose out on €4-5m owed to him by the club, ultimately allowing Inter to secure their initial €120m demand.
