Romelu Lukaku is set to miss the start of Chelsea’s pre-season as he continues to push for a move to Inter, according to reports.
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Chelsea have been locked in talks with Inter over a permanent deal for Lukaku but have already rejected a £23 million offer from the Serie A club.
Inter are expected to return with a new offer which is closer to Chelsea’s £40m asking price but an agreement is not expected to be reached before Lukaku is due to report for pre-season training this week.
According to The Telegraph, Lukaku had initially been told to return for pre-season training this Wednesday but the striker has no plans to train at Cobham this week.
The report claims that Chelsea have now moved Lukaku’s return date to next Monday in the hope that by then an agreement can be reached with Inter.
In his first press conference as Chelsea manager last week, Mauricio Pochettino had made it clear that Lukaku was due to report back for training unless he was sold to Inter.
Asked if he expected Lukaku to report to pre-season training this week, Pochettino said: ‘I think all the personal situations, all the parties know what we think. In that case he needs to come back on the 12th or 13th [July] to be part of the squad and start pre-season.
‘When the player arrives the first thing they are doing is to come to my office to see me and say hello. That is what I expect if he is still a Chelsea player.’
Lukaku, who scored 14 goals during his loan spell with Inter last season, has also turned down a lucrative offer to join Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
Juventus have also expressed an interest in Lukaku but the 30-year-old’s preference is to rejoin Inter on a permanent deal.
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