Soccer transfer news, rumors: Romelu Lukaku move to Inter Milan almost done, Chelsea eye Raheem Sterling, more

What’s better than a cup of coffee and the latest transfer news? Join in as CBS Sports provides the latest updates from around the world and what they mean to your favorite teams. Romelu Lukaku is inching closer to a Chelsea exit but Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling is now a target to replace the Belgian at Stamford Bridge. And in other replacement news, Borussia Dortmund are showing that it takes a village to replace Erling Haaland as they look to add another attacker this summers. 

Let’s get to the transfer moves:

In the six-yard box

The biggest transfer stories of the day. These are the deals that are happening, or at least on the verge of getting done.

Romelu Lukaku’s future will be resolved soon

Per CBS Sports Insider Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea has laid out the conditions for a Lukaku loan back to Inter Milan. The Blues would like a €10 million loan fee that also includes add-ons but it’s unsure if there would be an option to buy at the end of things. Lukaku’s contract is a burdensome one after returning to Chelsea last summer in a club-record £97.5 million deal to only score eight goals in league play. 

Lukaku has been publicly angling for a move to Inter, and Chelsea will be happy to get his wages off the books, so Inter have been able to stand firm on the loan fee they are willing to pay and just wait for Chelsea to give the ok and green light a move. How Chelsea will replace Lukaku then becomes the question, and, as we’ll get to later, Raheem Sterling seems to be an attacking option.

Entering the penalty area

These moves may not be imminent, but there’s a lot of transfer fire in all the smoke these players and teams might be blowing.

Borussia Dortmund are close to agreeing to Sebastian Haller fee 

Replacing Erling Haaland takes more than one player and Dortmund have presented Ajax with an offer of €33 million for Haller per Mike Verwij. Dortmund have already added talented youngster Karim Adeyemi from RB Salzburg while Haller would present a more experienced option. He is coming off of an impressive season in Amsterdam where he scored 21 goals assisting seven more while also competing for the Champions League golden boot with 11 goals across eight matches. Haller and Dortmund haven’t discussed personal terms yet but this is a deal that could take off over the next few days.

Build-up play

These moves might be speculative but they’re ones to keep an eye on.

Chelsea chase Raheem Sterling

There is quite a gap between the reported initial offering of €25 million plus add-ons and City asking for closer to €55-60 million. With Sterling only having one year remaining on his contract, City are open to letting him leave but their asking price seems higher than what Chelsea needs to invest in the attack even if they let Lukaku go. If Timo Werner is moved then there could be room for Sterling and Christian Pulisic to coexist but if Werner stays, it’s hard to see how this deal works.

Another reason why City might be fine letting Sterling leave is that approaches for the young Argentine, Julian Alvarez, are being turned down left and right. More than five clubs have requested to take him on loan after a hot start with River Plate where Alvarez has scored 17 goals in 22 matches across all competitions. But if Pep Guardiola believes that Alvarez can help City now, that would make losing Sterling easier to cope with.

Keeper punts

Your daily quick hitters.

• Cucho Hernandez is close to joining the Columbus Crew.
• Angel Di  Maria set to give answer to second Juventus offer.
• Nayef Aguerd completes his €35 million move from Rennes to West Ham United.
• Brad Guzan confirms new Atlanta United keeper Raul Gudino, per Tom Bogert.
• Mario Gotze is close to a Bundesliga return with Eintracht Frankfurt reports Sport1.
• Pep Guardiola downplays Barcelona’s interest in Bernardo Silva.
• Adrien Rabiot is generating Premier League interest L’Equipe says.