Inter step up Lukaku bid with improved offer
INTER Milan have submitted a new and improved bid for Romelu Lukaku in the hope of finally signing the wantaway Manchester United frontman, PA understands.
The 26-year-old is hoping to leave Old Trafford for pastures new just two years after his big-money switch from Everton.
Having seen a swap deal with Juventus collapse due to Paulo Dybala’s reluctance to go the other way, Lukaku surprisingly started the week training with former club Anderlecht.
Those developments have seen Antonio Conte’s Nerazzurri redouble their effort to sign Lukaku.
PA understands Inter had a 60 million euros (£54million) opening offer rejected last month and have now upped terms in an attempt to finally strike a deal with United.
Lukaku’s agent Federico Pastorello is understood to be in London to help get the move over the line, as well as discuss his client’s recent issues.
The Belgian looks to be at the point of no return with United, whose manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was understandably annoyed to see the striker’s Twitter video showing internal data of the players’ maximum speed in training.
Lukaku reportedly faces a fine for that despite swiftly deleting the post, plus another fine could be on its way for training away from United this week.
Eyebrows were raised on Monday when the striker was pictured training with boyhood club Anderlecht.
United’s players had a day off on Monday and it was reported that Lukaku was expected back on Tuesday with the rest of Solskjaer’s squad.
However, Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws published a photo of the striker training with Anderlecht once again - a matter United declined to comment on when contacted by PA. Lukaku’s current whereabouts on Wednesday remains unconfirmed.
The player joined the Old Trafford giants on their pre-season tour of Australia and Asia but failed to feature in any of their four matches due to knocks. He was also absent for the friendlies against Kristiansund and AC Milan upon returning to Europe.
Meanwhile David Luiz trained separately from Chelsea’s first team on Wednesday, with Arsenal understood to be pushing to sign the Brazil defender.
The 32-year-old was at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground, but it is understood he did not take part in the main training session with Frank Lampard’s men. Luiz signed a new twoyear contract in May, with Chelsea straying from their standard practice of handing one-year extensions to players aged 30 or older.
Arsenal boss Unai Emery is expected to push to lure Luiz away from Stamford Bridge before the transfer window shuts at 5pm on Thursday.
New Chelsea boss Lampard preferred Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen for his centre-back pairing in the final pre-season friendly at Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend.
Lampard has brought Zouma back into the first-team fold after the 24-year-old France defender spent last term on loan at Everton.
Luiz enjoyed a central role under Maurizio Sarri last season, as Chelsea secured a third-place Premier League finish and lifted the Europa League title.
But now Zouma and Christensen could be in line to pair up for Sunday’s trip to Manchester United in Chelsea’s opening league fixture.