Graham Potter hints at Chelsea summer decision over Lukaku

Graham Potter says Romelu Lukaku could still have a future at Chelsea and has described the striker as a ‘fantastic player’. 

 Chelsea spent £97.5m on re-signing Lukaku from Inter in August 2021 but the Belgium international struggled in his first campaign back at Stamford Bridge, scoring 15 goals in 44 games. 

  Lukaku angered Chelsea just a few months after his return as he criticised Thomas Tuchel’s tactics in an interview with an Italian broadcaster and said that he was keen to return to Inter. 

 The 29-year-old got his wish last summer as Chelsea allowed Lukaku to re-join Inter Milan on loan for the season but he has been hampered by injuries this term and has scored five goals in 19 appearances for the Serie A club so far. 

 When asked about Lukaku’s possible return to Chelsea, Potter told Canal+: ‘Well, he’s still a Chelsea player and we’re monitoring him of course. 

 ‘We understand where he’s at, he’s on loan, those decisions will be made in the summer. ‘He’s a fantastic player, someone who we know and like. 

‘But again, we need to speak about that in the summer because he’s playing on loan for his club.’ 

 Speaking this month, Inter’s CEO Beppe Marotta said that the club would not follow up with a permanent move for Lukaku in the summer window.

  ‘The loan was for one season so on June 30 regardless of how well he plays, he’ll go back to Chelsea,’ Marotta told Sky Italia.

 ‘This has been an unprecedented season. I’m referring of course to the World Cup. The problems we’ve experienced have been experienced by other clubs too and the players who played at the World Cup. 

‘Lukaku is a case in point. [Marcelo] Brozovic isn’t the Brozovic we know. Lukaku hasn’t found the fitness he needs to play his best football. He’s still not at his best or the player we got to see in years gone by.’