Chelsea have not given hope of signing Romelu Lukaku this summer, despite all roads seemingly pointing to him staying at Inter Milan.
Speculation has long linked the Belgian striker with a move back to Stamford Bridge, ever since he declared he had 'unfinished business' with the Blues.
And after struggling to prove his credentials in the Premier League, it has taken a move to Serie A to really bring the best out of him - so it's difficult to fathom he would be in an immediate rush to return.
Nevertheless, Chelsea are keen to bring Lukaku back to his former home and spearhead their attack under Thomas Tuchel.
According to The Athletic, Tuchel has already seen two bids for Lukaku rejected by Inter so far this summer, with potentially more to follow.
Lukaku himself has been pretty clear on how he sees the situation, insisting on more than one occasion that he sees his immediate future at the San Siro.
"Yes, I am staying," he told Dutch broadcaster VTM at the beginning of June.
That stance has since been backed up by Nerrazurri chief Beppe Marotta, who told Sportmediaset last week: "From our side, we can yes absolutely, Lukaku is not for sale. Lukaku is an important piece on the chessboard available to Simone Inzaghi.”
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But still, Chelsea see a slight possibility they could be lining up with Lukaku in their ranks next season.
It perhaps speaks volumes as to where their negotiations for a deal involving Erling Haaland are at, with the Borussia Dortmund hotshot almost certain to remain with the Bundesliga club for another campaign.
Chelsea have also seen any prospect of Robert Lewandowski seeking a new challenge elsewhere diminish as Bayern Munich revealed they are planning for life with the Polish striker for a further two seasons till his current contract expires.
Lukaku's contract runs for a year longer than that, meaning Chelsea would have little option but to break the bank to seal his return.
An offer in excess of £100million would be required to tempt Inter to the negotiating table, although given their financial difficulties, their resolve could be tested if Chelsea were to submit an improved offer.
Tuchel is desperate to add a striker to his ranks before the new season kicks off in less than a fortnight.
He's already lost Olivier Giroud to AC Milan, while the future of Tammy Abraham remains uncertain.
Timo Werner is going into the season as Chelsea's leading marksman, but Tuchel has already offered the German international a stern challenge to prove what he can do after misfiring in Sunday's friendly win over Arsenal.
"He had a so-so Euros with Germany, but that was a concern of the whole team not his personal problem," Tuchel said.
"Now it’s on him. Like always it’s on him to show his quality and his ability.
"It’s very hard to have a first match, first 45 minutes after a tough week that we put into the players, to play on this kind of level.
"I’m happy that he was dangerous but there were some chances where he could be more decisive, could have scored could have assisted another one or two.
"It’s a bit the same, like in the last games, but like I said, we’ve just started and it’s not the moment to blame."
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