Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed whether he believes Romelu Lukaku still has a future at the club.
The 29-year-old departed for Inter Milan on loan, less than a year after spending £97.5 million on the Belgian.
The forward netted 15 goals in all competitions upon his return to the Blues, half of what he managed at the San Siro the season before.
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Returning to Inter, Lukaku was grinning as he said: "I'm back baby. I'm very happy. Remember three years ago when we were here? Good to be back.
“That's what we are here for (to score lots of goals), I keep my promises you know that. Thanks for having me. Forza, Inter!”
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With no option to buy in his loan deal, Lukaku will likely return to Stamford Bridge next summer and join up with his Blues teammates once more.
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However, some reports believe that Chelsea have a gentleman’s agreement with Inter to send him back out on loan once again following the 2022/23 season.
After a second loan spell, it is thought that Inter could then purchase Lukaku from Chelsea, meaning that he will not feature for the Stamford Bridge side again despite being the club-record signing.
Tuchel, who had reportedly fallen out with Lukaku in the past, has now lifted the lid on the Belgian’s departure.
When speaking to footballdaily, the German admitted that there is a chance for him to return at the end of his loan spell, but that it remains unlikely.
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When asked about the forward’s departure, Tuchel said: "When we had the agent and Romelu's point of view, we thought it was best to take the decision that we took and Todd (Boehly) had my full support.
“Given the chance he is on loan, of course there is the chance, I don’t know if it’s very likely.
"It's not on me to give an outlook on that. There is a chance for it. We decided together we let him go."
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It remains unclear as to what the future holds for the striker, but it appears that he has no future under Tuchel in London.
The Blues have already acted to bring in Raheem Sterling from Manchester City this summer and are reportedly targeting more attackers in the transfer window.
It remains to be seen as to whether a traditional number nine will be through the door to replace the Belgian or whether Tuchel will trust Kai Havertz for the season in the central role.
The Blues will be looking to close the gap to Man City and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League during the new season.
Topics: Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku, Thomas Tuchel, Inter Milan, Premier League, Football
Nick Emms