Chelsea manager makes brutal admission as 30-year-old could be sold to generate more funds for transfers

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino insists striker Romelu Lukaku’s situation has not “changed” despite the club being in the transfer market for a new striker to help Nicolas Jackson.

The 30-year-old Belgian striker is training by himself at Chelsea’s Surrey training base in Cobham and has not spoken to Pochettino, with just about a week until the end of the transfer window.

Chelsea have lost Christopher Nkunku to injury and the French forward is not due back until the end of the year. There has been suggestions that the former PSG manager is willing to bring Lukaku back into the team if the club can not sell him, but Pochettio says that decision is out of his hands.

He told reporters ahead of the game against Luton Town on Friday: “The situation hasn’t changed. Always I tell you, anything can happen. At the moment, the situation hasn’t changed. It’s a situation that was really clear before we arrived here. We are really relaxed.”

Lukaku has scored 121 Premier League goals in 278 games. Last season he was a key part of the Inter Milan team that reached the final of the Champions League.

He is Chelsea’s highest earner despite being frozen out. His sale could free up cash in sales and wages for Chelsea to bring in the goalkeeper and striker they need to complete their squad.

In other news, the Chelsea boss said it was disappointing to have Mykhailo Mudryk injured at a time he would have had game time. The Ukranian will miss the home game against Luton Town tomorrow night even though Pochettino admits the injury is minor.

“Minor issue, maybe a few days. He won’t be available tomorrow. He’s a player we have hope [for] and can perform in the way he can perform. It’s not a big issue,” the Chelsea boss said.

Chelsea have lost one and won one of their first two games and Pochettino will be desperate to land his first win as a Chelsea boss