“Part of the squad”- Pochettino confirms Chelsea’s outcast availability for pre-season

Mauricio Pochettino expects Romelu Lukaku to join Chelsea for pre-season training

Mauricio Pochettino has asserted that he is expecting Chelsea wantaway striker Romelu Lukaku to join the club for training next week and will meet him in his office.

The 51-year-old has already begun his stint at Chelsea, with many players coming back for training before they fly to the USA for pre-season games. One of them is Lukaku, who was at Inter Milan on loan for the entire 2022–23 season and has shown little intention to return to Stamford Bridge. The Belgian has failed to impress in two separate stints at the club and could be on his way out soon.

The 30-year-old was signed from Inter Milan in the 2021–22 season, where he failed to address Chelsea’s goal scoring issues. He later claimed in an interview that he wants to return to Inter. He was eventually sent on loan, but the Belgian striker endured a patchy season at the Giuseppe Meazza before returning to the Bridge.

The veteran striker wants to continue at Inter, who have offered another loan bid for the striker. But Chelsea wants to sell the Belgian forward permanently. Inter City rivals AC Milan have also expressed interest in signing him. However, negotiations are yet to reach a consensus so far, and for the time being, Lukaku will remain at Chelsea. Pochettino wants to see the striker return to training next week, (h/t Metro) as he told the media:

‘‘I think in personal situations, all parties know what we think. In that case, he needs to come back on the 12th or 13th [July] to be part of the squad and start pre-season.”

His desire to stay at Inter, whether on loan or permanently, makes it clear that he does not consider Chelsea to be a part of his future. However, we will have to wait and see how the circumstances work out, as the summer transfer window will be lengthy and we also have to make a few additions of our own.

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Given the mentality Lukaku exhibits in practice and during preseason, Pochettino’s choice as to whether or not to work with the striker next season will become clear. If recent events are anything to go by, his time at the clubs is all but done. Surely the most professional response would be to honour his contract at the Bridge until he departs the club.