Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is unlikely to be interested in moving to Aston Villa before the transfer deadline, according to Alan Hutton.
Reports have suggested that Unai Emery’s side are ready to pay the Belgian international’s £36.6million release clause this summer, despite interest from Italian giants Napoli [Il Mattino, 13 August].
The Belgian is not understood to be keen on making the move to boss Villa Park and is instead holding out for a move back to Italy instead so that he can join up with former Chelsea Antonio Conte in Naples.
Although Hutton does believe the Villans will be looking to make further attacking additions before the window closes at the end of August, he doesn’t believe it is worth Emery taking a “risk” on Lukaku.
“I think it would be a risk,” Hutton exclusively told Villa News.
“It’s not quite worked out for him over the last few seasons and the problem with Lukaku for me is, is he coming as a starter or does he know it’s Ollie Watkins who’s going to be playing?
“I know he is versatile and he can play out wide, but he’s not going to do that. I think he thrives through the middle now so it would be an interesting one.
“I’m sure Lukaku at his age now wants to play football and if he’s not going to get that at Aston Villa, I’m not sure that he would want to be there and play second fiddle.
“For me right now, Watkins is number one and the way that Emery plays he likes to play one in behind him, like that Joao Felix type or whoever that may be.
“So we will just have to wait and see how it pans out.”
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