Chelsea forked out a record $135 million in the summer of 2021 to bring in Romelu Lukaku to hopefully be the No. 9 they've long needed. Between injuries and inconsistent play, things didn't work out and the Belgian was shipped off to Inter Milan for a loan spell prior to the 2022-23 season. However, it appears Lukaku is set for a return to Stamford Bridge.

As reported by the Mirror UK, the Blues plan to call the striker back to the club at the conclusion of the campaign. He's also expected to have talks about his future with Mauricio Pochettino, who is likely to be Chelsea's next boss.

“Lukaku WILL return to Chelsea this summer and there is a real chance he could yet rebuild his career at Stamford Bridge. Belgium star Lukaku, who turns 30 on Saturday, is expected to hold talks with manager-in-waiting Pochettino and also undergo pre-season training at Chelsea.

“They will then make a decision on Lukaku’s long-term future but Inter Milan have no plans to make an offer to sign him permanently despite having him on a season-long loan.”

This isn't all that surprising, to be honest. After all, the Blues paid an absolute boatload of money to sign him in the first place. You simply can't give up on him after one season. Plus, Inter doesn't see Lukaku in their long-term plans, anyway.

The 29-year-old has made 21 appearances for Inter in Serie A action, including 15 starts. He's scored six goals and tallied five assists. In the Champions League, Lukaku has netted three times in 10 outings. With Chelsea having little to no striker options right now, it only makes sense to at least see if the Belgium international can revive himself and start putting away some goals at the Bridge, even though his 2021-22 campaign proved to be an utter disappointment.

Only time will tell if the Blues ultimately rely on Lukaku or opt to sign another frontman in the upcoming transfer window.