Rome (AFP)

Key player in the reconquest of the scudetto by Inter Milan in the spring, Romelu Lukaku offered himself Thursday at 28 years old a new challenge at Chelsea, where he has already gone from 2011 to 2014, for a near-record amount in the Premier League .

The Belgian striker's transfer fee, estimated at 115 million euros by the British and Italian press, is the 2nd largest sum ever spent by an English club to acquire a player.

It even rivals the first: a few days earlier, Manchester City lured Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) for £ 100m (EUR 117m), according to British media estimates.

Cristiano Ronaldo's runner-up in the Serie A scorers 'standings last season, Lukaku (24 goals) could quickly justify the Blues' record investment.

Arrived in 2019 at Inter, the top scorer in the history of the Belgian selection (64 goals) notably contributed to conquering Inter's first scudetto in the spring since 2010.

The Nerazzuri also reached the final of the Europa League in 2020, ultimately lost to Sevilla (3-2).

- New status -

With such a record, in a cup championship set by Juventus since 2012, Lukaku saw himself staying in Lombardy.

Last week, Lautaro Martinez's friend in the Milan attack had also told the club channel to want to "accomplish even more" next season.

Romelu Lukaku under the colors of Chelsea in a friendly match against Malaysia, July 21, 2013 in Shah Alam Najjua ZULKEFLI AFP / Archives

But the attraction of Chelsea, outgoing Champions League winner and former club of Didier Drogba, the idol of Lukaku in his younger years, has finally been stronger.

"I am happy and blessed to be back at this wonderful club. It has been a long adventure for me: I came here as a child with a lot to learn, now I come back with a lot of experience and more mature", Lukaku said in a statement from his new club.

At Stamford Bridge, where he landed in 2011 from Anderlecht, the Belgian will be keen to leave a more lasting mark than during his first stint, studded with loans with only 15 matches on the clock in the Blues jersey.

The native of Antwerp knows the English championship well in any case: he has already played for West Bromwich Albion but especially for Everton and Manchester United, from whom Inter had torn him off in 2019.

Lukaku returns to London with a new status: young hopeful of European football in 2011, he was the priority for recruiting the Blues this summer since the end of the track leading to Norwegian Erling Braut Haaland (Dortmund).

Romelu Lukaku then in Chelsea, in a press conference, August 23, 2011 in Cobham (England) BEN STANSALL AFP / Archives

He should bring more arguments to the London attack, after the disappointment embodied by the Germans Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, recruited at a high price during the previous summer transfer window (nearly 80 M EUR for the first, 60 M EUR for the second).

- Austerity policy -

For Inter, in lack of cash, the departure of Lukaku is a new blow, after having already let Achraf Hakimi slip away at PSG.

Romelu Lukaku in the jersey of Belgium against Italy in the quarter-final of the Euro, July 2, 2021 in Munich Christof STACHE POOL / AFP / Archives

The Lombard club recorded losses of 100 million euros in the 2019/2020 season, mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Serie A revenue has plunged 18% in said season, according to Deloitte, the biggest decline among the top five European leagues.

In financial difficulty, the Suning group, owner of Inter, withdrew from the Chinese club Jiangsu FC, yet national champion, which had to shut down at the end of February.

In May, however, the Chinese group obtained EUR 275 million in funding from US investor Oaktree Capital to help the club tackle its liquidity problems.

To straighten out the accounts of the Nerazzuri, Suning also has the ambition to cut spending.

A policy of rigor that did not please the coach Antonio Conte.

The former Italy coach terminated his contract with Inter a year before it expired, and was replaced by ex-Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi.

Romelu Lukaku with Chelsea against Aston Villa on August 21, 2013 at Stamford Bridge stadium in London Olly GREENWOOD AFP / Archives

In addition to the coach who brought the national title to Milan, the supporters of Inter have just lost one of their darlings.

To replace him, the management of Inter are thinking of Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata, and is about to complete the transfer of Bosnian Edin Dzeko (AS Roma) according to Sky Sports.

© 2021 AFP