Mauricio Pochettino has disclosed that he hasn’t engaged in a conversation with Romelu Lukaku and isn’t inclined to invest any effort into resolving the impasse between the player and the club. Lukaku, who returned to Chelsea for £97.5 million from Inter Milan in 2021, faced swift challenges in his second stint at the club when he clashed with Thomas Tuchel.
Lukaku spent the previous season on loan at Inter but the Italian team chose not to make his loan arrangement permanent. Chelsea is still grappling with finding a solution for his future, with Pochettino confirming that Lukaku is not part of his plans for the current season.
In a press conference before their match against West Ham, Pochettino addressed Lukaku’s situation. Responding to questions about Lukaku’s absence from team training, Pochettino said, “There’s been no change. I haven’t spoken to him. The situation between the club and the player was clear before our arrival. As far as we’re concerned, there’s nothing to address.”
Lukaku has expressed his desire to leave the club, but Chelsea is struggling to find a team willing to meet his valuation. Both Juventus and Inter Milan recently turned down the opportunity after failing to reach an agreement with Chelsea.
Pochettino went on to emphasize that the situation is not solely the responsibility of the club. He stated, “It’s not solely the club’s responsibility. It’s a two-sided matter trying to find the best solution. The situation exists because both sides reached an agreement. We can’t alter it.”
He further mentioned, “Before we took on our roles, we were informed about the situation with every player. Our focus must be on the team. We can’t expend energy on a situation that was clear before we joined here.”
Meanwhile, their new signing Christopher Nkunku has suffered a long-term injury, and Chelsea is actively searching for a replacement in the transfer market. However, their recent target, Michael Olise, has opted to stay at Crystal Palace after signing a new contract with the club.
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