Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku is a transfer target for Juventus

Blues' decision to loan young striker bought for £18m out for a second full season raises Italian hopes they could sign him

A loan again naturally: Lukaku has been farmed out to Everton

Julian Finney

Italian champions Juventus are targeting Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.
Lukaku, 20, has been farmed out on a season's loan by a second successive Stamford Bridge regime, this time to Everton.

That has alerted Juve, who believe he has been left bitterly disappointed at not being part of the Londoners' squad this season.

Belgian international Lukaku has also switched agents from Christophe Henrotay, who oversaw his £18m move from Anderlecht to Chelsea in 2011, to Italian super-agent Mino Raiola.

Raiola has strong connections with the major Serie A clubs, took former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba to Juventus and has a reputation for getting difficult deals done.

Lukaku spent all summer believing he would be given a chance at Chelsea under re-hired manager Jose Mourinho after then-boss Roberto Di Matteo loaned him to West Brom last August.

But he found himself being borrowed by the Toffees after the Stamford Bridge club failed to ship out fellow striker Demba Ba in the final few days of the summer transfer window.

Just 17? Lukaku's goal blitz on loan at West Brom did not convince Chelsea

Paul Gilham

Lukaku  has been in superb form since the switch, his goals and impact raising questions whether Chelsea made a mistake in loaning him out again after he scored 17 league goals for West Brom in 2012-13.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez has insisted there is no recall clause on Lukaku and that they have him for the entire season, while the Belgian has stated publicly that he wants to build a future for himself at Chelsea.
But Juventus are hoping to seize any opportunity to get one of Europe's top striker prospects, and have their fingers crossed Raiola will prove key to any potential deal.