Inter set Romelu Lukaku price as they consider selling 'one or two top players'

Inter are understood to have placed a €120m price tag on reported Chelsea and Manchester City target Romelu Lukaku, amid claims they will consider selling 'one or two top players' at the end of the season.

I Nerazzurri are currently top of the Serie A table and sit six points clear of their closest rivals AC Milan with a game in hand, meaning it's likely - barring a complete meltdown - they will end their 11-year title drought.

Manager Antonio Conte has finally assembled the squad he wanted to challenge Juventus' dominance in Italy, but Inter may now be forced to take a step back because of the ongoing effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on finances.

The parent company who own Inter were forced to liquidate Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning just two years after they won the championship, and it's thought that cash also needs to be raised in the fashion capital of the world.

According to Corriere Dello Sport, that could start as soon as the current campaign comes to an end - with the club looking to balance their books before the end of the financial year. Inter currently look to set to announce losses of between €120m-140m, with the absence of fans inside stadiums a major part of the problem for clubs all over Europe.

As a result, Inter could look to cash in on their success this season by selling one or two top players, including top goalscorer Lukaku. Reports have seen the Belgian all-time top scorer linked with a move back to England, and Corriere say Inter have set the 27-year-old's asking price at €120m.

The club did something similar last year, selling then captain Mauro Icardi to Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth up to €58m - lowering their losses for the year to just over €100m.

Lukaku's high price tag is designed to ward off interested parties who are not serious about making an offer, but is also a tempting amount of money that would make a sale appeal.

Strike partner Lautaro Martinez was in a similar boat to the Belgian last summer, but his protracted move to Barcelona fell through - the Catalan giants are in dire financial strife of their own - and it's more likely that he'll now stay put and pen fresh terms.

As for Lukaku, there's very little indication that he wants to leave Inter for pastures new. In fact, he's spoken highly of his time at the club, where he's resurrected his reputation as one of the most lethal strikers in Europe. He may not have a choice in the matter, however, should Inter receive an offer too good to turn down.