Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel seems delighted with the fact that his side have secured a move for Romelu Lukaku - after believes his team have captured a "real No.9".
Although it seemed that Lukaku would not leave Inter Milan this summer, an improved bid of £97.5million for the Belgian was enough to tempt the Serie A champions into a sale.
Lukaku underwent part of his medical in Italy on Monday and will now arrive in London to complete the move and finalise his return to Stamford Bridge.
The former Chelsea man was sold for £28million to Everton in 2014, but has become one of the biggest stars in Europe since leaving the club.
Tuchel was full of praise for Lukaku, as he said: “Romelu is one of the guys like (Erling) Haaland at Dortmund, (Robert) Lewandowski at Bayern Munich, Harry Kane at Tottenham, who is a real No.9 who loves to score and who has a presence in the box.
"That is not a secret. The sentence is easy to repeat for any coach in the world. He is the kind of profile we’re looking for."
Lukaku's official return to Stamford Bridge is expected to be announced later this week ahead of Chelsea's Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on Saturday, and Tuchel believes the Belgian could be the signing that helps his side challenge for the title this season.
The Blues boss was desperate to sign a top-class physical striker during the window, and after failed negotiations with Haaland, Lewandowski and Kane, Chelsea turned their full attention to Lukaku.
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Tuchel has expressed that Olivier Giroud was a big loss for the club, and that they lacked a physical striker that could create space for Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, so Lukaku could be integral to the German's plans at Chelsea this season.
When speaking to Sky Sports about the void Giroud has left, Tuchel said: “This is the kind of profile that we don’t have in our squad right now and that we are looking for."
Since leaving Stamford Bridge in 2014, Lukaku went on to score 113 Premier League goals during spells at West Brom, Everton and Manchester United, before becoming Belgium's all-time leading goalscorer.
Lukaku was influential for Inter last season, scoring 24 goals in Serie A as Nerazzurri won their first league title in over a decade, but financial issues with the club's owners Suning Holders Group have put the champions in turmoil.
Achraf Hakimi has already joined Paris Saint Germain, and despite the owners promising 'no more stars would be sold', Lukaku appears to be on his was to Chelsea.
Fellow Inter striker Lautaro Martinez has also been linked with a move to the Premier League, but it is thought that the deal for Lukaku will force the Argentine to stay at the club this summer.
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