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Chelsea have three more objectives in mind when their squad is concerned, as they reportedly close in on the signing of Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian striker is now said to be close to returning to Stamford Bridge and reports in Italy this afternoon claim Inter Milan have accepted the Blues’ latest offer for the player.
Chelsea have been locked in negotiations with Inter for the past week as they look to strike a deal for the 28-year-old frontman, who has moved to the top of Thomas Tuchel’s shortlist.
The German was forced to explore other targets after his former club Borussia Dortmund refused to sell Erling Haaland for less than £150million.
Lukaku was not even an option at the beginning of the transfer window, when he ruled out a move away from Inter despite the departure of Antonio Conte.
Multiple reports now claim an agreement is in place between the two clubs for a fee of £97millon (€115m) after the prolific forward pushed for a return to west London.
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Talks with Sevilla have died down since Chelsea turned attentions to Lukaku but they are expected to revisit negotiations for the centre-back shortly.
Kounde was the subject of a swap deal offer involving Kurt Zouma but the latter did not want to move to Sevilla and prefers to stay in the Premier League.
Chelsea now need to reassess their approach to talks as they prepare to submit a new bid for the 22-year-old.
Kante and Jorginho remain central to Tuchel’s plans moving forward and both are expected to land improved deals that reflect their value to Tuchel.
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The pair formed an impressive partnership in the heart of midfield last season to help Chelsea secure a top-four finish before winning the Champions League in Porto in May.
Jorginho has been frequently linked with a return to Italy with Napoli and Juventus amongst those to have been keen in the past.
But his agent has now made it clear the player prefers to stay at Chelsea, where he feels appreciated.
Kante remains a Ballon d’Or contender following his efforts last season and his performances will be rewarded with an improved salary.
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