Chelsea optimistic on Romelu Lukaku transfer to Napoli
Chelsea are growing in optimism that a deal to sell Romelu Lukaku to Napoli can be agreed this weekend.
Napoli director Giovanni Manna is in London to reach an agreement for the Belgium international, who joined Chelsea for £97.5million in 2021.
Chelsea want a permanent sale having put a £37.8m clause in his contract before he joined Roma on loan last year.
Napoli have already had lower bids rejected, but the two clubs are holding positive talks and a compromise is close to being reached.
The Serie A club are showing more willingness to get closer to Chelsea’s asking price and the conversation has now turned to how Napoli will pay it in installments rather than the whole sum in full.
Lukaku has been training with a group of other unwanted players at Cobham away from the senior squad while his future is being resolved.
The 31-year-old scored just 15 goals in 44 appearances for Chelsea in 2021-22, but has been on loan at Inter Milan and Roma in the two seasons since. He has no interest in playing for Chelsea again and the club are keen to get him off the payroll for good.
(Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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