With us football lovers pining for a few months as club football takes a hiatus, tomorrow (Thursday, May 16) feels exciting. That is because the date shall offer initial flavour for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign. It is EPL fixtures release day. The announcement of upcoming matches is now quite a big deal in the media world. Possibly due to not much happening, with no games and the transfer market at a hesitant infancy. Unless you happen to be a Manchester City or Liverpool supporter; be patient Chelsea fans and good shall transpire.
Reportedly, the Citizens and the Reds respectively splashed out £51.2million on Erling Haaland and £64m on Darwin Nunez (potentially rising to £85m, as per Eurosport). I’m sure the astute among us are already pointing out that knowing which English top-flight team you are playing and when actually means nothing at all to elite sportsmen in the division. In order to be triumphant they must defeat opposition wherever, however and whenever the situation arises, or is rearranged for. Whatever the scenario. What real excitement and relevance derives from is loyal fan bases being able to pinpoint rival clashes. Not to mention important away days.
Major updates via top sources as Chelsea, Inter Milan enter talks over Romelu Lukaku
Thomas Tuchel and Todd Boehly’s meeting with out of favour striker Romelu Lukaku had been revealed prior by outlets. But what was the outcome? Well, piecing details provided by a multitude of the most in the know, individual Blues-related journalists gives PoL an overview which appears particularly trustworthy.
Beginning with Romelu Lukaku, he was supposedly flying back to London over the past few days to arrange his future. The talks were meant to be with hierarchy and, of course, the Chelsea manager. So, information on the now ended summit has not been published, though we can piece it together ourselves with the following particulars from top-end sources.
Direct talks are now taking place between Chelsea and Inter to negotiate Romelu Lukaku's return to the San Siro. Significant negotiation needed. Lukaku will have to take a wage cut (and accepts this). Chelsea are exploring both a traditional loan and a swap-deal.
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) June 15, 2022
Obviously the meet ended in agreement, as The Telegraph’s Matt Law claims CFC have opened talks with the Italians. A move might be completed by the end of the week, Law states. Meanwhile, Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports suggests Chels’ are exploring both a traditional loan as well as a swap-deal. Maybe Milan Skriniar is a sweetener here.
Finally, according to definitely reliable The Times and their reporter Tom Roddy, amazingly, the Blues are not interested in selling the Belgian. Why I find this astounding, despite the long-term association between the attacker and CFC, is with regard to his age. If Lukaku undertakes a two-year loan with Inter, he would be 31 years old before playing for the West London outfit again, possibly.
Should the temporary switch be 12 months, the forward, who suffered a miserable time in his prime during the 2021/22 campaign, would technically be in his thirties. This is not to say one is over the hill at that point, I’d hope not, as I turn 38 this summer. Yet the decline at this level, especially in that position, does begin around that period.
In addition, from Roddy, Lukaku is ‘not ready to leave the club permanently’. While other sides have apparently enquired about him. Furthermore, it is said that both parties want an outcome where the player remains involved with the outfits in England and Italy.