Chelsea boss Graham Potter is keen on making a sensational move for Harry Kane next summer, according to reports in Italy.
The Blues signed two high-profile forwards in the summer window prior to Thomas Tuchel’s sacking, with Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joining from Manchester City and Barcelona.
But Calciomercatoweb claim the German’s successor is keen on adding another forward in 2023, and ‘really likes’ Tottenham and England forward Kane.
The report adds Potter is willing to offer Romelu Lukaku – who is out on loan at Inter Milan this season after an ill-fated return to the Premier League in 2021-22 – in exchange to secure the Three Lions captain’s services.
Such an astonishing move would see the Belgian forward reunite with Antonio Conte, with the pair playing a huge part in Inter Milan winning the Serie A title in 2020-21.
However, the same outlet suggests there are a couple of stumbling blocks, with the first being that Kane – whose contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium expires in 2024 – is seen as an ‘immovable symbol’ of Conte’s side.
Moreover, the report adds the move could also be scuppered if Serie A giants Inter agree a deal with Chelsea before the summer to make the Belgian’s move to San Siro permanent.
They claim only reluctance on Lukaku’s part will prevent him from extending his stay in Milan, but that any permanent move will depend on how he performs during the rest of his loan spell.
The 29-year-old has scored one goal in three appearances for Simone Inzaghi’s men this season, but has missed their last six games with a thigh strain.
Lukaku’s return to Inter this summer on loan came after an unexpectedly poor return to former club Chelsea in which he managed only 13 goals in 42 games in all competitions, having arrived for a club-record fee of £98million in August 2021.
Despite scoring three in his first four games. Lukaku then went goalless in the Premier League until December where he scored in successive games before another barren patch that lasted until May.
Potter’s spell in charge at Stamford Bridge got off to a frustrating start too last week, with a Blues side lacking cutting edge held to a 1-1 draw by RB Salzburg in the Champions League.
Kane could therefore emerge as an option but Tottenham’s rivalry with Chelsea could complicate a move.
The England skipper was also a target for Bayern Munich in the summer as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski, and reports earlier this month suggested the Bundesliga giants told him to hold off signing a new deal at Spurs.
