Romelu Lukaku is relishing a stern Champions League test when Inter head to Porto for the second leg of their last-16 tie.

Inter will take a 1-0 lead to Estadio do Dragao on March 14 after Lukaku slammed in a late winner at San Siro on Wednesday.

Having seen a header rebound off the left-hand post, substitute Lukaku reacted sharply to drill home from close range.

Lukaku's winner, which came shortly after Otavio had seen red for the visitors, marked only his fourth goal of what has been a difficult campaign for the 29-year-old, though he has now netted in each of his last two appearances.

While he lamented Inter's failure to add a second goal, Lukaku's confidence will not be shaken by heading to a difficult venue where Porto have lost just twice this season, winning their last eight home games.

"Here at San Siro we played with a great mentality, taking advantage of the chances created, but in Porto it will be difficult," Lukaku told Inter TV.

"They have great fans, a very [atmospheric] stadium, but we live for situations like this.

"We choose this life when we decide to become players. We will be prepared.

"There is satisfaction with the team's victory, a very important success. We deserved it. We played a good game and created many chances.

"Porto are very strong, now we have to archive the result and continue to do well in the league. It's just a shame we didn't score the second goal."

Inter did create plenty of opportunities, having 18 shots, though only four of those hit the target, while their 1.58 expected goals (xG) was narrowly less than Porto's 1.65.

Porto also had four attempts on target, but Inter had Andre Onana to thank for a series of fine stops – the former Ajax goalkeeper making an excellent double save from Zaidu Sanusi and Mehdi Taremi in the second half.

According to Opta, Taremi's attempt was the best chance of the game for either side, with an xG of 0.67. Essentially, close to 70 per cent of such opportunities would be expected to result in a goal.

"I'm talking about the two saves by Onana, who played an amazing game," Lukaku said when asked about the key moments of the game.

"But they all did well, even the bench players and substitutes. We're the same team as two years ago, nothing has changed.

"We must be enthusiastic about the result, with Porto it is never easy."

Inter forward Romelu Lukaku looks in better shape than before, according to his former Belgium assistant coach Thierry Henry.

Lukaku came off the bench in the 58th minute against Porto on Wednesday before netting the only goal in the Nerazzurri's Champions League last-16 first-leg win.

Inter CEO Beppe Marotta had called into question Lukaku's fitness when he told Sky Sport the forward "needs to be in perfect physical shape to deliver" and that "he is not there yet".

But Lukaku, on loan at Inter from Chelsea, provided the perfect response when he lashed home a close-range chance after his initial 86th-minute header had hit the post.

"I am so happy for Rom," Henry said on CBS Sports. "He looks fitter, he looks slimmer, he wants it.

"I think he was disappointed that he didn't start. The only answer you can give is on the field, and he did that.

"Great header. The ball goes inside, great cross, that's what you do. You come on the field and try to make an impact to make sure you can ask your coach questions – 'next time am I going to be in the starting line-up?'"

Lukaku's future remains uncertain having underwhelmed so far during his season-long loan spell with Inter, netting four times in 14 appearances.

However, his return to Chelsea last term was similarly disappointing.

"We had a discussion when he went to Chelsea, and I told him he's going to find it difficult to play at Chelsea," Henry added. "That happened to be the case, because of the way [Thomas] Tuchel liked to play.

"Pressing, you're the nine, I'm the nine, I'm the winger, you're the winger, you have to change. Rom likes to stay where he is. Feed him, play him in early, and he'll try to bully you.

"He was a different type of nine to what Tuchel wanted. Is he going to fit what [Graham] Potter's trying to do? They're struggling enough.

"And what does he want to do? I don't think he wants to go back. That's the main thing. He wants to stay at Inter."

Simone Inzaghi could not hide his frustration at Inter only building a 1-0 lead to take to Porto for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Inter were slender victors in San Siro on Wednesday thanks to Romelu Lukaku's late winner, the Belgian scoring for the second game running after not previously netting for the club since before the World Cup.

Lukaku's goal came as a huge relief to Inter, who otherwise looked destined to be held to a 0-0 draw that would have arguably made Porto favourites to progress to the quarter-finals.

Inter had chances to open the scoring before Lukaku's strike, with Lautaro Martinez and Alessandro Bastoni spurning great opportunities in the first half.

There was also an opportunity just after Lukaku's second-half introduction where he almost teed up strike partner Martinez, but the Argentinian could not reach the low cross.

Inzaghi generally appeared satisfied, but his frustration was also obvious.

"We played an excellent game against a physical and technical opponent, an excellent team," he told Prime Video. "There is regret because we had situations in the first half.

"In the second half the changes helped us. We wanted something more, but we are satisfied because we played a great match.

"[Marcelo] Brozovic and Lukaku entered very well, [Denzel] Dumfries and [Robin] Gosens too. I need everyone because it's not easy to play matches like this.

"In the first half we had to be quicker to pass the ball, we had to build better and quicker. Porto attacked us ferociously, but we had to pick up the pace and we deserved the lead straight away in the first half."

Edin Dzeko was the one to make way for Lukaku, and the Bosnian forward reacted angrily to being withdrawn.

Inzaghi refused to blow the situation out of proportion, however.

"I was expecting this question," Inzaghi told reporters with a laugh. "I too got angry when I went off the pitch in these matches, but it was enough for me to see him jump up after Lukaku's goal.

"These are things that happen on the pitch for the adrenaline of these evenings, let's not forget that in these 18 months with Inter, Dzeko has done a lot."

The two sides will tussle again on March 14 at the Dragao, and while Inzaghi acknowledged Inter do have the edge, he was keen to impress on his players that they have a long way to go yet.

"Yes, you said it correctly, we have a slight advantage, which we will try to make count," he continued.

"We faced a strong, physical team, who are used to playing this round in very important competitions.

"The first half was 0-0, then we stretched out a bit for the desire to bring it home. We risked on that one occasion where [Milan] Skriniar and [Andre] Onana were very good [to deny Porto a goal], then we closed it out well with the four substitutions that came in at their best.

"Applause to the team, but it's only the first leg."

Romelu Lukaku was decisive off the bench with a late winner as Inter scraped a 1-0 victory over Porto in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at San Siro.

Simone Inzaghi's men appeared to be heading for a disappointing goalless draw that would have arguably put Porto in the driving seat for the second leg, but Lukaku came to Inter's rescue.

The Nerazzurri had been wasteful during a tense first half, with Lautaro Martinez spurning a great opportunity and Alessandro Bastoni forcing Diogo Costa into a brilliant save.

They then struggled to make the most of their dominance in the second half, but shortly after Porto midfielder Otavio was sent off, Lukaku turned home to score for the second time in less than a week.

 

Erling Haaland should be licking his lips at the prospect of facing RB Leipzig when Manchester City continue their quest to lift the Champions League for the first time on Wednesday.

City travel to Leipzig for the first leg of their round of 16 tie smarting from slipping off the top of the Premier League table with a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The combination of both City and striker Haaland's great record against the Bundesliga side would suggest they ought to secure a place in the quarter-finals of Europe's premier club competition.

Inter have home advantage when they face Porto in the other round of 16 first-leg clash on Wednesday and the Serie A side boast an impressive home record against Portuguese clubs.

Stats Perform pick out the standout Opta data to preview the matches at Red Bull Arena and San Siro.

 

RB Leipzig v Manchester City

Former Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland will return to Germany to come up against a club that he has fond memories of facing.

The Norway international's finishing let him down at the City Ground at the weekend, but Leipzig know all about the threat he poses.

Haaland has found the back of the net six times in four games against Leipzig, scoring three braces against them during his time with Dortmund.

City have only lost one of their previous 17 matches against German sides in the Champions League (W14 D2), with the Premier League champions scoring an average of 2.6 goals per game in those fixtures. Their only defeat came away to Leipzig in last season’s group stage, when Pep Guardiola's side had already qualified for the last 16.

Leipzig will fancy their chances of causing an upset, though, as they have won each of their past four Champions League matches – which is their best run in the competition.

Only Julian Nagelsmann in the 2019-20 season – when they reached the semi-final – has won more matches in a Champions League campaign (six) in charge of RB Leipzig than Marco Rose's four this term.

Inter v Porto

Porto travel to Milan on a magnificent unbeaten run that stretches back to October 21.

Sergio Conceicao's tally of 30 Champions League wins is more than any other Porto boss has achieved and his 50 per cent win rate in the competition is second only to Julen Lopetegui's 56 per cent during his tenure.

This will be the 10th time Inter have hosted a Portuguese side in European competition. They are unbeaten in the previous nine – eight of which have been victories. The only side to avoid defeat were Boavista, in a goalless UEFA Cup draw back in 1991.

Edin Dzeko has been directly involved in four goals in six Champions League games this season – scoring three and proving one assist. That is more than any other Inter player.

Porto have won four successive Champions League games and will be aiming to equal their longest winning run in the competition – a run of five between October and December 2018, which was also set under Conceicao.

Mehdi Taremi has been directly involved in seven goals in five games for Porto in the Champions League this term – with five goals and two assists. That is the most by a player in a single campaign for the club since Moussa Marega's eight in the 2018-19 campaign.

Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajcetic has reportedly caught the attention of LaLiga powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Bajcetic, 18, scored his first Premier League goal in a short substitute appearance against Aston Villa on Boxing Day, and after impressing in a pair of January FA Cup starts, he forced his way into the first team.

He has started their past four Premier League fixtures as well as Tuesday's Champions League Final rematch against Madrid, indicating a rapid rise in the eyes of Jurgen Klopp.

The Spaniard left Celta Vigo in 2020 to head to the Premier League, but his home country could soon come calling to bring him back.

 

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL TEEN CAPTURES IMAGINATION OF EUROPE'S ELITE

According to Fichajes, both Barcelona and Madrid "have been closely following his evolution", and they believe Bajcetic possesses the qualities necessary to perform at the highest level.

Barcelona reportedly view him as "an ideal piece to form a future midfield with Pedri and Gavi", while Madrid would like him to be the successor to ageing veterans Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

His contract ties him to Anfield until 2027, but the Spanish giants could try to test his transfer value as soon as this off-season.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Daily Mail is reporting Aston Villa will listen to offers for 30-year-old goalkeeper and World Cup hero Emiliano Martinez after the season with the hope that a significant transfer fee could fund a mini-rebuild.

– Leicester City will look to sell James Maddison at the end of the season if they can not convince him to sign a new contract, with Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham named as interested parties, per Football Insider.

– According to The Telegraph, 31-year-old midfielder N'Golo Kante will sign a new contract to remain at Chelsea.

– Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting Inter will look to move on from wing-backs Denzel Dumfries and Robin Gosens at the end of the season, with Dumfries a potential piece in a swap deal for Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku.

– According to the Evening Standard, Saudi Arabian clubs – including Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr – are circling 30-year-old Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha with the belief he would be open to a Middle East move for the right price.

Simone Inzaghi could not assure Romelu Lukaku he would start again against Porto despite ending his goal drought on Saturday.

Lukaku has scored only three times since returning to Inter at the start of this season.

It has been a difficult campaign for the Belgium forward, who also failed to net at the World Cup in Qatar.

But a penalty against Udinese on Saturday gave Lukaku his first Serie A goal since August ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg against Porto.

That does not mean Lukaku is certain to start, however, as coach Inzaghi said in his news conference there were "doubts" about his line-up.

Edin Dzeko would be the obvious alternative to Lukaku, having netted 11 in all competitions this season, although the pair started together against Udinese.

Asked specifically about Lukaku and midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, Inzaghi said: "Lukaku has been working for longer and is improving. He is putting a great deal of effort into it.

"As for both, tomorrow we will try to make the best choices for Inter.

"Those who do not start will still be useful in the game. In games like these, the final minutes are those in which decisive actions can occur and spaces are freed up to exploit."

Inter have not been past the last 16 of the Champions League since the 2010-11 season, when they were playing as defending champions.

But having emerged from a difficult group that also included Barcelona and Bayern Munich, confidence is high.

"We face this tie with great confidence," Inzaghi said. "We reached it with an incredible path – on paper, Barcelona and Bayern Munich were teams that everyone wanted to avoid.

"You can see what Barca are doing in La Liga, and we know what Bayern are."

Marcus Thuram is poised to leave Borussia Monchengladbach on a free transfer at the end of the season amid reported interest from Chelsea and Inter.

Gladbach sporting director Roland Virkus gave the clearest indication yet on Sunday that Gladbach stand to lose the France international when his contract expires at the end of June.

Numerous clubs from Europe's elite have been credited with an interest in Thuram, with Inter reportedly leading the chase alongside competition from Chelsea and Gladbach's Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.

The 25-year-old has scored 11 goals and assisted three more in the Bundesliga this season, with only five players bettering his 14 goal involvements among German top-flight players.

Virkus, speaking to Sport1, appeared to acknowledge likely defeat in Gladbach's attempts to keep the son of France great Lilian Thuram.

He said: "With Marcus Thuram we stretched. We have to accept that when there are even bigger clubs where Marcus might go."

Virkus added: "The fact that players will leave us for free is not a positive situation and I can't sugarcoat it."

Gladbach sit eighth in the Bundesliga after Thuram scored in a 3-2 victory over 10-man Bayern on Saturday.

Simone Inzaghi hailed the improvements made by Romelu Lukaku after his penalty helped them to a 3-1 win over Udinese.

Lukaku opened the scoring in the 20th minute after Denzel Dumfries was adjudged by the VAR to have been brought down by Walace.

The Belgium international saw his first effort saved by Marco Silvestri, but the goalkeeper was ruled to have strayed off his line and Lukaku made no mistake with his second attempt.

His strike ended a 189-day drought in Serie A for Lukaku, his previous goal coming way back in August against Lecce.

Sandi Lovric levelled for Udinese but a superb Henrikh Mkhitaryan volley and a late Lautaro Martinez goal gave Inter the points.

Lukaku has seen much of his season hindered by a hamstring injury, but Inzaghi is full of belief in the on-loan Chelsea striker now his fitness issues appear to be behind him.

Inzaghi told Sky Sport Italia: "Lukaku is improving day by day, game by game, training session by training session.

"We have great faith in Rom. He had a few problems last season in London, we brought him back here and then he had this serious injury that troubled him for four months.

"If he is starting games, that means he is in good shape and playing will help him strengthen that form."

Inter are 15 points behind Serie A leaders Napoli, but the win over Udinese allows them to go into Wednesday's Champions League tie with Porto on a high.

"We knew Udinese are a very physical side with good technique who cause you a lot of problems, as we already saw in the reverse fixture," he added.

"It was a good first half with the only setback being the goal we conceded, when we should've been more focused on the loose ball.

"I am glad with the result, it is an important victory that allows us to keep going."

Henrikh Mkhitaryan's superb second-half volley helped Inter overcome a stubborn Udinese in Serie A on Saturday, claiming a 3-1 win at San Siro.

Romelu Lukaku's 20th-minute penalty after Denzel Dumfries was brought down saw the hosts initially lead, only for Sandi Lovric's breakaway finish to reel them in before the break.

But just as it looked like the Nerazzurri would be forced to settle for a point, the Armenia international rode to their rescue with an excellent 73rd-minute strike.

Martinez made sure of the points in the 89th minute as Simone Inzaghi's side stretched their lead over third-place Milan to three points, ahead of the congested European race beneath them.

Inter entered the match with a verve and energy their visitors struggled to handle early on, and won a penalty after Walace was deemed to have fouled Dumfries by the VAR.

Lukaku initially saw his first effort saved by Marco Silvestri, but the goalkeeper was adjudged to be off his line and the Belgian made no mistake with his second attempt.

Yet the hosts failed to capitalise on their advantage, and Udinese deservedly drew level two minutes from the interval when Lovric finished off a shrewd counter-attack.

Dumfries fluffed his lines when presented with a chance to restore Inter's lead with a cross from Mkhitaryan, who achieved that feat with 17 minutes of normal time remaining when he lifted Federico Dimarco's square delivery beyond Silvestri.

Martinez added a late touch of gloss by powering a strike home in the closing stages to ensure there would be no late capitulation from Inter.

Simone Inzaghi says the heated on-field exchange between Inter team-mates Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku is understandable as both players were showing their desire.

Barella and Lukaku could be seen arguing during a frustrating first half for Inter in their goalless Serie A draw against Sampdoria on Monday.

Lukaku angrily wagged his finger at Barella after the Italy international had petulantly waved his arms in the air.

Asked to explain the mid-game dispute between his two players, Inzaghi tried to take positives out of the situation.

"Barella is totally committed to the cause. He has so much motivation and always wants to win," Inzaghi told Inter TV.

"The desire can at times spill over, but we all know what kind of person he is. I have confidence in him and the rest of the team."

Barella and Lukaku are in contention to start Inter's home league match against Udinese on Saturday as they look to return to winning ways in Serie A.

Inter may find themselves 18 points behind Napoli by then, with the leaders travelling to Sassuolo on Friday.

Despite having a big Champions League last-16 first-leg tie with Porto coming up on Wednesday, Inzaghi suggested he does not intend to rest any key players against Udinese.

"We will need to be at our best. I may be repetitive but despite the Champions League on the horizon, the focus is on Inter-Udinese," he said.

"I think that our biggest motivation tomorrow comes from wanting to win in front of our fans.

"I will make the necessary assessments. I will rely on all players, the starters and those on the bench."

Inter defender Stefan de Vrij has been made aware of interest from LaLiga clubs by his agent as he weighs up whether to renew his contract at San Siro.

With De Vrij's deal expiring at the end of the season, Spanish champions Real Madrid – as well as their rivals Atletico Madrid – have been credited with an interest in him.

Inter will lose Milan Skriniar at the end of the campaign after he reached a pre-contract agreement with Paris Saint-Germain, and fellow defender De Vrij could follow him through the exit door.

Asked about interest from Spain's biggest clubs after Monday's goalless draw at Sampdoria, De Vrij said: "These are words from my agent, I try to concentrate on work and on the field."

However, the prospect of the Netherlands international staying in Milan cannot be ruled out, as he added: "I'm on very good terms with the club. We're talking and, when there's news, you'll find out."

Inter are now 15 points adrift of Serie A leaders Napoli following their failure to break down Sampdoria, and De Vrij accepts the Scudetto is a lost cause this campaign.

"The 15 points away from Napoli are too many," he said. 

"On the one hand there is a Napoli that is flying by winning every game, on the other there is us, who are unable to bring home certain results."

Simone Inzaghi conceded runaway Serie A leaders Napoli are unreachable for Inter after expressing disappointment for a wasteful performance at Sampdoria.

Inter trail the in-form Napoli by 15 points at the Italian top-flight summit after being held to a goalless draw by strugglers Sampdoria on Monday at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium.

The Nerazzurri attempted 25 shots in a one-sided contest, the first time Inter have recorded as many shots without scoring in a Serie A match since February 2022 (29 at home to Sassuolo).

Inzaghi's side have failed to score in two of their past four Serie A matches, as many times as in their previous 31 matches in the competition, and the Inter head coach acknowledged his team's shortfalls.

"It's normal to be disappointed, we wanted another result – we didn't underestimate the game," he told DAZN. "We had a good first half, less the second.

"There were many chances created against a team that gave everything on the pitch. We had to make the most of them.

"There is regret because the boys played the match in the right way, playing it as we had prepared for it. We had to be calmer and capitalise on the opportunities better."

When asked if Luciano Spalletti's Napoli were uncatchable, Inzaghi responded: "Definitely that, but we have to look only at our progress.

"We came from three victories in a row and tonight we wanted to achieve a different result. There is a lot of bitterness as it should be."

Lautaro Martinez spurned a glorious last-minute opportunity after a scramble inside the area, with second-bottom Sampdoria hanging on for a vital point.

The Argentina international attempted six shots without finding the net, the most efforts he has managed in a match without scoring in Serie A since facing Sampdoria on May 22 last year.

But Inzaghi was not unhappy with what he saw from his strikers Martinez and Romelu Lukaku before a late cameo from veteran Edin Dzeko.

"Lukaku is working a lot more and more every day, he needs playing time," he added. "Lautaro and Dzeko are doing great things.

"Tonight [Lukaku] held the ball well, he could have scored with a dirtier shot then he dropped a bit in the second half."

Lukaku and Nicolo Barella could be seen arguing in a frustrating first half, with the striker waving his finger at the Italy international after a disagreement.

"They had this squabble in front of my bench, these are things I don't like but we talked about it at the end of the first half and it was all already resolved," Inzaghi continued.

"But it certainly shouldn't happen again because it's not a pretty sight. They are things on the pitch, probably with a victory would not have even been talked about."

Inter dropped further ground on runaway Serie A leaders Napoli after a wasteful performance resulted in a goalless draw at Sampdoria on Monday.

Simone Inzaghi's side had won seven of nine games across all competitions in an impressive start to 2023, but drew a blank at Luigi Ferraris Stadium.

Dejan Stankovic's hosts offered little in attack throughout, with Inter's 13 first-half attempts in a one-sided contest going unrewarded before a similarly dominant second period.

The Nerazzurri were unable to find the required breakthrough, however, with the stalemate leaving Inter trailing Napoli by 15 points and leading the chasing pack for second by just three.

Emil Audero parried away a thumping Romelu Lukaku effort and Hakan Calhanoglu drilled narrowly wide as Inter dictated the opening proceedings.

Matteo Darmian blazed just over after Lautaro Martinez inexplicably failed to connect from close range, before Robin Gosens went close with a headed attempt as Inzaghi's visitors failed to capitalise on their first-half dominance.

Manolo Gabbiadini dragged a rare Sampdoria opportunity off target after the interval, albeit Inter continued to monopolise possession in search of an elusive opener.

Audero thwarted a stinging Calhanoglu effort before the Turkey international curled just the wrong side of the goalkeeper's left post.

The Sampdoria goalkeeper tipped over a long-range Francesco Acerbi drive before Martinez somehow failed to convert a last-minute scramble inside the area as Inter were unable to find a deserved late winner.

What does it mean? Rare draw halts Inter roll

Inter had won nine of their past 11 meetings with Sampdoria in Serie A, winning their past two 3-0, therefore a stalemate with the league's second-bottom side may come as a surprise.

The nature of the result marked a rare feat for Inter, too, with it just their second draw in their past 31 Italian top-flight games – stunting their run as they looked for an eighth win in 10 games across all competitions since the new year began.

Napoli are all but crowned Scudetto champions already, but with Porto on the horizon in the Champions League later in February, Inzaghi will appreciate Inter must improve going forward.

Nuytinck neutralises Inter attack

Bram Nuytinck was the star of the show for the Sampdoria backline, capably supported by goalkeeper and captain Audero behind him.

The Dutch 32-year-old defender showed all of his experience in a resolute performance, making the most tackles (four) and most clearances (nine) of any player on the pitch. 

Gabbiadini struggles

Gabbiadini has scored three Serie A goals in 2023, after having a hand in only four goals (two goals, two assists) in the whole of last year. 

But the Samp striker struggled in this game, failing to hit the target with two presentable chances to leave his tally at just one goal in 12 meetings with Inter in the competition.

What's next?

Inter are at home to Udinese on Saturday, when Sampdoria host Bologna.

Manchester City reportedly view Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell as a potential answer to their left-back problem and will investigate a move at the end of the season.

Chilwell, 26, was purchased from Leicester City for a £50million fee prior to the 2020-21 campaign, and he enjoyed immediate success at Stamford Bridge. In his first season with the club, all 27 of his Premier League appearances came in the starting line-up, and he also played a full 90 minutes in their Champions League final triumph over City.

Unfortunately, the England international with 17 senior caps has been plagued by injuries since, with a serious knee injury this past season followed by a long-term hamstring injury early in the current campaign.

Chilwell returned from his hamstring issue with a brief appearance off the bench against Fulham on February 3, and if he can prove his fitness down the stretch then he could prove the perfect replacement for Joao Cancelo after his shock departure on loan to Bayern Munich.

TOP STORY – CITY IDENTIFY CHILWELL AS POTENTIAL CANCELO REPLACEMENT

The future of Cancelo with City is looking bleak after he was shipped off to Bayern following reports of a training ground dispute with boss Pep Guardiola, and Caught Offside claims the club are already looking at long-term solutions in his position.

Fabrizio Romano writes that "Chilwell is one of the players who has been appreciated by Manchester City for years" – but adds the Englishman is just one name on a shortlist of left-back options to pursue when the season wraps up.

Chilwell's five-year contract with Chelsea ties him to the club until 2025, but the report states the addition of Marc Cucurella has made him more expendable if the price is right.

ROUND-UP

– According to 90min, Chelsea have made 24-year-old Napoli striker Victor Osimhen their top forward target, and he is expected to cost in excess of £100million (€110m).

– The Daily Mail is reporting Tottenham will look to sign new centre-backs at the end of the season, and have taken a liking to 22-year-old Crystal Palace talent Marc Guehi, who may be available for a fee of around £45million.

– According to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona will join a long list of elite clubs – including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter – in the pursuit of 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram. The France international will become a free agent after the season, and his father Lillian Thuram spent two seasons with Barcelona before retiring.

Inter will work to secure 29-year-old striker Romelu Lukaku on either a permanent deal or another loan from Chelsea next season at a lower cost, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

– Football Insider is reporting Liverpool, Everton and Leeds United are all interested in 18-year-old Birmingham City midfielder George Hall, who some are calling "the next Jude Bellingham".

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