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Juventus fans storm training pitch to protest potential Romelu Lukaku transfer

2023-08-10 18:28
Juventus fans invaded the training pitch to protest a possible move for Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.
Juventus fans storm training pitch to protest potential Romelu Lukaku transfer

Juventus' training match against Juventus Next Gen was interrupted on Wednesday by a pitch invasion which saw supporters protest a possible move for Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.

The clubs have spoken this summer about a possible deal for Lukaku which would also see Dusan Vlahovic head to Stamford Bridge, but while Chelsea appreciate the Serbian striker, 90min understands they have a huge issue with Juve's demand for an extra £35m as part of the deal.

These negotiations came after Lukaku's proposed return to Inter collapsed when the Italian side learned of talks between Juventus and the Belgian, who had privately and publicly vowed never to play for any Serie A side other than Inter.

As a result, Lukaku's proposed move to the Allianz Stadium has not gone down well among fans, many of whom were heard screaming "No, we don't want Lukaku" during Wednesday's friendly - chants which initially began in the stands during the first minute of the game.

It's worth noting that this game between Juventus and Juventus Next Gen took the place of the annual Villar Perosa friendly, in which it is tradition for fans to invade the pitch. But while the event is usually full of positivity as fans get the chance to meet players, a large number of supporters chose to use the opportunity to oppose a move for Lukaku instead.

Sources have confirmed to 90min that Chelsea are no longer entertaining the idea of a swap deal between Lukaku and Vlahovic as they do not share Juventus' valuation of the latter, but the Blues are still open to a straight sale if the right bid arrives for Lukaku.

Options for Lukaku, who rejected an approach from Saudi Arabia earlier this summer, are proving limited after Inter closed the door on a potential transfer.

"Given what Inter has done for him, we expected him to behave differently, as a professional and as a man," Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"He has the right to go where he wants, of course, but he could have told us that beforehand. Nobody is bigger than the club and when building a team, you always have to consider who you are bringing into the dressing room."

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This article was originally published on 90min as Juventus fans storm training pitch to protest potential Romelu Lukaku transfer.