Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta has said the club must be patient in the transfer market as they continue to pursue Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku.
The Italian club have identified Lukaku as the player they want to replace Mauro Icardi with, as Antonio Conte prepares the Nerazzurri for a second successive season back in the Champions League.
Marotta confirmed over the weekend that club captain Icardi is not in Inter's plans for the upcoming campaign.
Pressed on Inter's interest in Lukaku, Marotta said: "The transfer market is a work in progress. We are working hard to get the best squad possible for the new season. We are ambitious and want the best team possible. We also must find ways to respect all financial perimeters too.
"We cannot rush things because that can lead to mistakes. We have clear ideas but we need to be patient. We have important goals and transfer targets in mind."
Conte and Lukaku are keen to work with each other after a possible union at Chelsea fell through when United signed the Belgium international from Everton in 2017.
However, Inter are yet to prove they have the financial might to sign Lukaku, with United demanding £75million for the 26-year-old.
Lukaku was eager to have his future resolved before United jetted out for their pre-season tour of Australia and Southeast Asia and appeared stony faced as he arrived at Manchester Airport on Sunday morning.
His agent Federico Pastorello urged haste from Inter after a meeting with Marotta last week, saying: "What is clear is that if Inter want the player, they will need to get a move on."
