Chelsea transfer saga gets closer to resolution with gap in valuation now down to £12.4m

The Blue are desperate to offload Lukaku this summer and end his nightmare second spell at the club once and for all.

The Belgium international has spent the last two seasons on loan at Inter and Roma, but has his sights set on a move to Napoli and a reunion with Antonio Conte.

Napoli step up efforts to sign Lukaku

Lukaku has a reported £38m exit clause in his Chelsea contract which the Blues expect to be paid in full, but so far Napoli haven’t been prepared to meet the valuation.

However, according to The Times they have stepped up their pursuit of the Belgian, with Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna holding talks in London for the striker and they have so far offered around £25.6m, which is still short of the exit clause.

The report adds that Napoli have offered Chelsea Osimhen, who they value at around £90m but an adjustment would be required with the Blues looking for just shy of £40m for Lukaku.

Chelsea will want to get the full clause or as close to it as they can, but arguably more important is getting Lukaku’s reported £325,000 per week wages off the books.

Lukaku is believed to have agreed a three year contract with the Serie A outfit which would see him take a pay cut and he’s reportedly already been in contact with Conte.

Chelsea were thought to only want Osimhen if he became available for loan but recent reports in Italy have said they are open to a permanent move, which brings the possibility of an exchange with Lukaku or a loan with an obligation back to the table.

It feels like this saga will head to the final days of the window and it would be strange if an agreement wasn’t reached because it’s clearly in the interest of all parties to work something out.