Stan Collymore has suggested Aston Villa as a next possible destination for Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku next season.
Romelu Lukaku, 29, is due back at Chelsea this summer once his season-long loan deal ends at Inter Milan.
The Belgian centre-forward is still under contract at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2026, but is there a way back for him in West London after the way last season finished?
Collymore has been discussing what the future looks like for Lukaku, who he’s convinced Chelsea should sell in the summer transfer window.
He suggests that Villa manager Unai Emery would be open to working with someone like the Chelsea-owned striker. He suggested Burnley or West Ham as alternative options, too.
“I just cannot see how the Blues can reintegrate Lukaku back into their squad next season; they have to cut their losses and get rid this summer,” Collymore wrote on his CaughtOffside column.
“If he fancies staying in the Premier League, apart from potentially being offered to West Ham in a part-ex deal for [Declan] Rice, I wonder if Vincent Kompany may ask the Burnley board to have a go. Kompany knows Lukaku very well, not only from playing against him in the Premier League but also from their time representing Belgium together. I’m not saying it will happen, but I could definitely see the newly-promoted club trying something really ambitious.
“The same can be said for Aston Villa – would Unai Emery want two or three years working with Lukaku? – I think he probably would.”
Gazzetta dello Sport recently reported Pochettino wants to build the team around Lukaku once he’s finally appointed as the next Chelsea manager.
However, we’re struggling to picture him back in four at Stamford Bridge.
You could argue he would do a better job and score more goals next year than anybody has at Chelsea this season, but there’s plenty of other No 9s linked with the Blues right now.
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