Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly poised to offer beleaguered Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku a lifeline should the opportunity present itself.
The Argentine gaffer is prepared to take a chance on the forward, who is presently on loan at Inter Milan following a calamitous return to West London in 2021.
Chelsea are in dire straits, craving a prolific centre-forward to bolster their goal tally in the Premier League this campaign.
Having only notched 31 goals, the Blues have netted four fewer than any other side competing in the top-flight.
The prospect of a revitalised Lukaku could be an irresistible temptation for the club to ignore, and as per various sources, the prospective manager Pochettino is eager to ascertain if he can invigorate the mercurial target man.
If Pochettino assumes command at Chelsea, it is said that he will unveil his blueprint to the player, granting him time to mull over whether he fancies playing a part in the club’s pursuit of a top-four finish next season.
Lukaku’s form has been elusive since his return to Inter, a year on from his whopping £95.5 million move back to Chelsea, and he has grappled with injuries for significant portions of the season.
However, as Inter’s fortunes have brightened towards the season’s end – with Champions League and Coppa Italia glory still within reach, along with a tussle for a top-four berth – the No 90 has found his rhythm, bagging four goals and providing four assists in his last eight outings.
It is believed that the player is reluctant to part ways with the Nerazzurri, having developed a fondness for life in Milan, but the former Tottenham boss may yet entice him back to the English capital with his vision for reigniting his career at Stamford Bridge.
A considerable factor in Lukaku’s urge to seek a loan move back to Italy at the conclusion of last season was his fractious relationship with erstwhile manager Thomas Tuchel.
The bond between the Bayern Munich coach and the player was seemingly beyond repair following an interview that alluded to his ‘unhappiness’ at Chelsea under Tuchel’s tutelage, resulting in his exclusion from the matchday squad as the Blues confronted Liverpool.
Although Lukaku eventually returned to the fray, he was unable to recapture the form that had propelled Inter to Scudetto glory the prior season and warranted his record-breaking transfer fee.
Chelsea’s top brass will undoubtedly hope that, should Pochettino take up the gauntlet on Fulham Road, he can integrate the striker into his strategy, not merely to plug the gaping hole in their current squad, but also because the Blues would fetch a far cry from his transfer fee of two summers past if he were to be put up for sale.
Inter are rumoured to be preparing for life without their on-loan talisman, despite his yearning to remain at the San Siro.
