Inter CEO Beppe Marotta expressed the club’s continued interest in having Roma’s Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku for the 2023-24 season, despite securing Marcus Thuram on a free transfer at the start of the summer transfer window.
Speaking at the LUISS university in Rome on Friday, Marotta disclosed the club’s intention to include Lukaku, Thuram, and leading goalscorer Lautaro Martinez in their plans for the season, before the deal for Lukaku fell through unexpectedly.
Lukaku, who had previously been on loan at Inter for the 2021-22 season, was sought after for another loan stint, but negotiations collapsed when it was revealed that the player was also in discussions with Juventus.
Currently on loan with Roma, Lukaku leads the Giallorossi’s goal-scoring charts with 15 goals in all competitions, ranking as the sixth-highest scorer in Serie A with nine league goals, just behind Thuram with 10 and Martinez with 20.
Marotta stated, “We would have taken him (Lukaku) anyway, even with Thuram,” during a Q&A session in Rome, suggesting that Lukaku’s inclusion alongside Thuram and Martinez was considered. However, he also acknowledged the potential chemistry between Thuram and Martinez, indicating that the hypothetical scenario might not have yielded the same results seen in the current lineup.
Despite not securing Lukaku, Inter has thrived under coach Simone Inzaghi’s leadership, with the team leading the Serie A table by seven points with a game in hand after 25 rounds of league fixtures, fueled by the performances of Thuram and Martinez in attack.