Lukaku to reunite with Lautaru Martinez at chealea fc

Chelsea may look at £70m transfer that could save Romelu Lukaku's career amid Thomas Tuchel snub

With Romelu Lukaku's future at Chelsea in serious doubt right now, football.london looks at how the Blues could possibly salvage the Belgian's career with a potentially clever signing

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"I miss Lautaro Martinez. I could die on the pitch for him since day one when I met him," Romelu Lukaku said in that infamous interview with Sky Italia towards the end of last year.

Lukaku then went onto joke: "Lautaro Martinez coming here with me at Chelsea in the future? No, Lautaro, you can stay in Milan. I'll be back there."

Martinez and Lukaku were simply sensational together when they were both playing at Inter Milan. In 78 games when both were on the pitch together in all competitions, 19 goals were scored with one was assisting the other. Lukaku netted 10 assisted by Martinez, while the latter scored nine in the opposite scenario.

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The duo were superb in Inter's title-winning 2020/21 season under now-Tottenham boss Antonio Conte. That side, though, was torn apart just months later amid financial difficulties, with Conte leaving the club and Lukaku then being signed by Chelsea for almost £100million, while Achraf Hakimi moved to Paris Saint-Germain amid links to Stamford Bridge.

Life back in west London for Lukaku, though, has gone far from how he would have envisaged it. Since returning to Chelsea, the Belgium international has found the back of the net on just five occasions in the Premier League - the last of which coming at the end of December.

It's not as if he hasn't been given a chance under Thomas Tuchel - but whenever those opportunities have come along recently, Lukaku has failed to capitalise on them. At the weekend, rather damningly, the £97.5million club-record signing was an unused substitute as Chelsea were beaten 1-0 away at Everton.

Lukaku is inevitably being linked with a move away from Chelsea after failing to impress so far on his second spell with the club. However, reports recently have suggested that the striker is set to turn down moves to AC Milan or Newcastle United, who are said to both hold interests.

Chelsea would be unable to recoup the full £97.5million the club paid for him last summer, so there are effectively two options for the Blues: either sell him and cut their losses, or give him another season at Stamford Bridge and hope they can get the best out of him.

Also, perhaps bringing someone in who has proven in the past that he can get the best out of Lukaku. Lautaro Martinez. Of course, the Argentine being signed wouldn't be solely to get the best out of Lukaku because he also has immense talent.

According to The Times, via the Express, Inter are now willing to sell the 24-year-old forward for £70million should an offer of that amount come their way this summer. Martinez signed a new long-term contract at the San Siro last year, but could still leave the club at the end of the season.

Martinez has been in tremendous form for Inter this season, scoring 21 goals in all competitions - with 17 of them coming in the Italian top-flight. In comparison to Chelsea's top scorer Kai Havertz this season, Martinez has almost double the expected goals (Martinez: 16.1 - Havertz: 8.4).

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 01: Romelu Lukaku of Chelsea warms up prior to kick off of the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park on May 01, 2022 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

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LUKAKU TO REUNITE WITH LAUTARU MARTINEZ AT CHEALEA FC

Abugri Abraham Joseph