Report: Chelsea to offload five to fund Romelu Lukaku transfer

According to the Sunday World, Chelsea are willing to offload five players to fund a transfer for Inter striker Romelu Lukaku.

The Blues boss Thomas Tuchel is hoping to raise the £80 million required to tempt the Serie A champions into a sale.

Lukaku was the focal point of Antonio Conte’s team during 2020/21. He bagged 30 goals as the Milanese giants ended the dominance of Juventus.

The 28-year-old endured an unsuccessful spell at Chelsea earlier in his career. In 15 appearances he failed to score and was sold to Everton.

Now, the Blues are wanting to re-sign the Belgium international ahead of next season – and will hope to recoup the funds through player sales.

Who is in the Chelsea firing line?

The report suggests that Kepa Arrizabalaga, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ross Barkley, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham will be allowed to leave.

Offloading those players should raise a substantial sum, allowed the Blues to make a big push for Lukaku.

Some of the aforementioned can count themselves unlucky.

Abraham has scored 30 goals across the last two seasons and might feel aggrieved.

Likewise Hudson-Odoi is still young and boasts a lot of untapped potential.

The other three of Kepa, Barkley and Loftus-Cheek, however, are on borrowed time and have no future at Chelsea.

He could prove to be a superb signing.

Some suggested he wasn’t a man for the big occasion during his time at Manchester United.

He has, however, thrown such a theory of the water at the San Siro, scoring against both AC Milan and Juventus this season.

Lukaku is a confidence player and he needs a manager to truly back him on a weekly basis.

If Tuchel thinks he’s the man to do that, signing the striker makes perfect sense this summer.