Chelsea have given striker Romelu Lukaku permission not to attend their first training session of preseason amid Inter Milan talks.
This according to UK news outlet The Telegraph, who report that the 30-year-old will not be part of the Blues squad that reconvenes for training tomorrow as he waits to see if the Nerazzurri can secure a move for him in negotiations with Chelsea over the coming days.
So far, Chelsea have rejected Inter’s initial offer for Lukaku.
The Nerazzurri made an initial bid worth around €25 million to sign the Belgian on a permanent basis. This came after the Blues made perfectly clear that they have no intention of listening to any offers for another loan deal.
However, the Blues have rejected the Nerazzurri’s bid. They are still waiting for more money before they will agree to sell Lukaku.
For his part, Lukaku has little intention of staying at Chelsea. Accordingly, he will not be part of training when Mauricio Pochettino gathers his squad together for the first time.
Chelsea Allow Romelu Lukaku To Miss Training As Inter Talks Heat Up
The Telegraph confirm that Lukaku will not be at Chelsea training tomorrow. Moreover, this will not be any sort of unsanctioned boycott by the player – his club have specifically told him that he can be absent.
This is because the talks with Inter are really starting to heat up.
The Nerazzurri have finally given up on trying to secure another loan. They are now negotiating on the basis of a permanent deal.
Whilst Inter have yet to make a bid high enough for Chelsea to accept, they are not slowing down.
The Nerazzurri are expected to make a higher bid very soon. They want to get the deal over the line without much more haste.
In recognition of this, Chelsea will not expect Lukaku back in training at this point. They do not see him as part of the plans for next season based on the negotiations with Inter.
