Romelu Lukaku stuck in limbo as manager Mauricio Pochettino has no intention of recalling striker and Chelsea are struggling to find a buyer for the wantaway Belgian

Romelu Lukaku’s Chelsea career looks dead and buried after Mauricio Pochettino admitted he had not spoken to the Belgian and was not prepared to ‘expend any energy’ on the impasse he inherited between club and player.

Lukaku’s second spell at the club turned sour within months of his £97.5million transfer from Inter Milan in 2021 when the Belgian fell out with Thomas Tuchel and barely featured.

Lukaku returned to Inter on loan last season, but the Italians decided against signing him, and with no shirt number nor place in Pochettino’s plans, he is in limbo.

Pochettino is still exploring ways to bolster his forward line, after new signing Christopher Nkunku picked up a long-term injury and transfer target Michael Olise decided to stay at Crystal Palace, but has no intention of calling upon Lukaku, even as stop-gap striker.

Asked on Friday about Lukaku, who is not training with the first-team squad, Pochettino said: ‘Nothing has changed. I didn’t talk with him. The situation between the club and the player was clear before we arrived. For us there is nothing to do.’

Lukaku has made it clear he wants out, but Chelsea are struggling to recoup a fraction of the fee they paid, or find a club able to match his salary demands.

Juventus turned him down recently and although Real Madrid are said to be interested, it could be that he is still at Chelsea by the end of the transfer window, unwanted and out of contention for a place.

Pochettino added: ‘You cannot put it on the club only. It is not only one side. It is two sides trying to find the best solution. The situation is what it is because two sides have an agreement. We can’t change it.

‘We were informed before signing [to become boss] about the situation with every single player.