Mauricio Pochettino is on the cusp of being announced as the new permanent Chelsea manager, which could prove to be good news for several players at the club.
According to the Telegraph, Romelu Lukaku could benefit from Pochettino’s appointment, with the striker set to be offered a way back to establishing himself at the club under the Argentine’s stewardship.
Lukaku has spent the campaign on loan at Inter Milan after his highly-anticipated Stamford Bridge return ended in tatters following a fallout with former manager Thomas Tuchel.
However, injury has affected his output since returning to the San Siro, with the Belgium international posting just five strikes in 19 Serie A appearances.
Inter CEO Guiseppe Marotta had already stated that the 29-year-old would return to London when his loan deal expires at the end of the season, with the club hesitant to make his stay permanent.
The Nerazzurri have highlighted several replacements for the former Manchester United hitman, with Borussia Monchengladbach’s soon-to-be free agent Marcus Thuram their top target.
Lukaku looks to have recaptured his previous form approaching the business end of the season, grabbing a brace and an assist in Inter’s 3-0 win over Empoli.
However, it may not be enough to convince Inter to splash the cash with the striker set to be asked whether or not he wants to try to revive his Chelsea career under Pochettino.
Chelsea’s ‘exhaustive’ managerial search has landed them at the doorstep of the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, who is now one step away from taking over from underwhelming interim boss Frank Lampard.
Lukaku is reportedly favouring a stay at Inter owing to the nature of his departure from Chelsea last season, but the Blues will hold talks with the Belgian to discuss his options.
Chelsea’s current priority is to trim the size of the squad, and a summer clear-out is on the cards, especially with the prospect of missing out on European football next season.
