Romelu Lukaku Inter Milan Getty

The King of Milan? Lukaku just another willing pawn in an increasingly absurd transfer market

Inter re-signing Romelu Lukaku is yet another transfer market masterstroke from Beppe Marotta.

Just a year after selling the striker to Chelsea for €115 million (£97.5m/$120m), he has brought him back to San Siro on loan for just €8m (£6.9m/$8.3m). 

“There was fear in every moment [that it might not happen], because it was a very difficult situation that we’d never seen before: a player sold a year earlier for a price that we all know was going to be difficult," Lukaku's lawyer Sebastien Ledure told Sky Sport Italia.

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Indeed, given the figures involved, it shouldn't have been possible to make his move happen.

But this is the very nature of today's transfer market, where nothing much makes sense anymore. 

Barcelona, remember, are still effectively broke and yet are still optimistic about signing Robert Lewandowksi and Raphinha, while Richarlison is apparently worth £60m...

In many ways, though, Lukaku's return to Inter is the deal which perfectly sums up the modern game, containing, as it does, all of the elements of excess and absurdity that now define football...