Napoli have submitted a new bid for Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku after a fresh round of talks between the two clubs, a report has revealed.
The Belgian is Antonio Conte’s top target to bolster his forward line and Chelsea are keen to part ways with Lukaku permanently, although they have so far stood firm on their asking price of £37m.
A loan bid with a view to a permanent deal worth a total of €30m (£25.4m) has already been rejected but, according to Gianluca Di Marzio, Napoli have returned with another €30m bid to sign Lukaku permanently this summer.
While the finances may not have changed, an immediate transfer is preferable to Chelsea as it would increase the pressure on Napoli to sell striker Victor Osimhen before the summer transfer window closes. An initial loan would not impact Napoli’s finances and therefore allow them to keep Osimhen as well.
Further reports state Chelsea are likely to accept the bid, which also includes a percentage of a future sale.
According to BBC Sport, Lukaku is not the only Chelsea player in talks with Napoli as the Blues are also looking to offload midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca has already warned Chukwuemeka he may not see significant minutes at Stamford Bridge this season. A handful of Premier League sides have expressed interest but Chelsea may prefer to send him to Napoli as part of their ongoing attempts to lower Osimhen’s asking price.
Regardless of any money raised through sales of Lukaku and Chukwuemeka, Chelsea’s current priority is to try to sign Osimhen on an initial loan deal.
Osimhen, as it stands, has shown a reluctance to move on any loan deal unless it includes an obligation to make the move permanent, while his high salary demands could also prove problematic.
