Chelsea boss Tuchel set to hold talks with Lukaku

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says he will talk to Romelu Lukaku on Monday about returning to the squad.

The striker was dropped for Sunday’s draw with Liverpool after comments he made in an interview recorded several weeks ago but aired on Thursday.

Lukaku said he was “not happy” with his bit-part role under Tuchel earlier this season.

“There is a meeting and we will decide,” Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Monday we discuss and we all meet and we will take a decision.”

Lukaku had also said he would like to return to Inter Milan in the near future.

Before Sunday’s game, Tuchel said he had left the 28-year-old out of the squad to “protect the preparation” for a match against a team one point behind them in the Premier League.

And after the game, the German boss told Sky Sports: “He is our player, there is always a way back.

“We will clear this behind closed doors and once we have made a decision and Romelu knows, you will maybe know also. It is not to be discussed now.”

Lukaku has scored seven goals in 18 appearances since he rejoined Chelsea from Italian champions Inter Milan for £97.5m in the summer.