Romelu Lukaku walked out of the Singapore National Stadium gripping an Inter Milan shirt just hours after the Italians had a £54million bid for the Manchester United striker rejected.

The Belgium international was ruled out of United’s 1-0 win in the International Champions Cup on Saturday due to an ankle injury, with his future still the subject of uncertainty.

Inter manager Antonio Conte is desperate to take him to the San Siro, with United only prepared to sell if their valuation of £80m is met.

Old Trafford sources were bemused by the level of Inter’s bid, which was only slightly more than the £50m United paid for Aaron Wan-Bissaka this summer.

The club’s hierarchy are adamant that Lukaku is a proven striker at the highest level – and, if anything, his value has risen from the £75m he cost when signing from Everton two years ago.

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The 26-year-old was seen talking at length with Ivan Perisic after Saturday’s game, and it is believed the shirt he carried out of the stadium belonged to the Croatia international.

But it was a curious decision to do in such an open manner, with his determination to join up with Conte, clear to see.

Inter’s first formal bid came after Conte confirmed his intention to land Lukaku this summer.

It is not expected to be their last move, but they will have to significantly up their offer if they are to prise him away from Old Trafford.

Ahead of Saturday’s match Conte stepped up his pursuit - publicly stating his interest.

He said: “You know very well that I like this player. In the past at Chelsea I tried to bring him into Chelsea.

In Pictures | Man Utd's complete list of summer transfer targets 16 show all In Pictures | Man Utd's complete list of summer transfer targets 1/16 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has convinced the club to change its transfer policy. Here are their targets... Getty Images 2/16 Done deal: Daniel James (Swansea City) Man Utd via Getty Images 3/16 Done deal: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace) Manchester United via Getty Imag 4/16 Harry Maguire (Leicester City) Getty Images 5/16 Sean Longstaff (Newcastle United) Getty Images 6/16 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli) AFP/Getty Images 7/16 Milan Skriniar (Inter) Getty Images 8/16 Declan Rice (West Ham) Getty Images 9/16 Idrissa Gueye (Everton) AFP/Getty Images 10/16 Christian Eriksen (Tottenham) Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 11/16 Bruno Fernandes (Sporting CP) AFP/Getty Images 12/16 James Maddison (Leicester City) AFP/Getty Images 13/16 Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) Bongarts/Getty Images 14/16 Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) Getty Images 15/16 Signed for Arsenal: Nicolas Pepe AFP/Getty Images 16/16 Moussa Dembele (Lyon) AFP/Getty Images 1/16 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has convinced the club to change its transfer policy. Here are their targets... Getty Images 2/16 Done deal: Daniel James (Swansea City) Man Utd via Getty Images 3/16 Done deal: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace) Manchester United via Getty Imag 4/16 Harry Maguire (Leicester City) Getty Images 5/16 Sean Longstaff (Newcastle United) Getty Images 6/16 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli) AFP/Getty Images 7/16 Milan Skriniar (Inter) Getty Images 8/16 Declan Rice (West Ham) Getty Images 9/16 Idrissa Gueye (Everton) AFP/Getty Images 10/16 Christian Eriksen (Tottenham) Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 11/16 Bruno Fernandes (Sporting CP) AFP/Getty Images 12/16 James Maddison (Leicester City) AFP/Getty Images 13/16 Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) Bongarts/Getty Images 14/16 Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) Getty Images 15/16 Signed for Arsenal: Nicolas Pepe AFP/Getty Images 16/16 Moussa Dembele (Lyon) AFP/Getty Images

“Today Romelu Lukaku is a player with United. This is the reality and the truth.

“I think that in this moment we are talking about a player of another club. It is right to not talk about Lukaku out of respect for Manchester United.

“I like this player and I consider him an important player for us to have good improvement.

“There is a market and we know very well our situation in this moment. We will see what will happen.”