Not taxing for Lukaku now...
On-loan striker was only ever going back to Italy as he will save £3m a year in tax as a resident. Well, when you have three homes in Milan...
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ROMELU LUKAKU’S return to Inter Milan is being funded by Italy’s taxpayers.
Lukaku took a huge pay cut to seal a
12-month loan move back to the
San Siro – just a year after
Chelsea splashed
£97.5million to re-sign the
Belgium striker.
But the blow of seeing his £325,000-a-week wages slashed by a third to make the deal happen was cushioned by an incentive in Italy’s tax laws, which has already saved him £3million.
It is designed to keep highpowered professionals in the country, enabling them to have just half their salary subjected to normal taxes.
Serie A clubs and players have been cashing in as well.
Lukaku has already saved £3m on the tax bill that would have been due next month after he departed Inter for Stamford Bridge last summer.
He still owns three houses in Milan and those property interests enabled him to retain his status as a citizen and save a fortune in income tax.
Lukaku will be another £3m better off next year as well. Inter have paid Chelsea a loan fee of £7m for the 29-year-old, with a package of add-ons that could bring in another £3.5m.
They have also agreed to pay Lukaku’s wages in full.
Chelsea will now step up their bid to land Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling after freeing up the finance to meet the England winger’s wage demands.
KO BlOw?
CHELSEA target Thomas Strakosha is in danger of pricing himself out of a Premier League move.
The Albania keeper (below) is available on a free from Lazio, but his personal terms are an obstacle.
Fulham nearly landed the 27-year-old, but talks broke down, while Newcastle have shown interest.
Chelsea see the Greekborn stopper as an option for Kepa, who is seeking assurances about his role.