Inter could turn to Lille’s young forward Rafael Leao if they fail to secure a deal for Romelu Lukaku, Gazzetta dello Sport reported this morning.

Leao, who turned 20 in June, scored eight goals in Ligue 1 last season after fan violence forced him to leave Sporting Lisbon in 2018.

Juventus, Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain are also following the Portuguese under-21 international, who would cost €35-40 million.

“It’s an important investment but it’s not scaring anyone off, because in the future he could be worth much more,” Gazzetta assured.

“Leao has a centre-forward’s physique but also great technique, with a sprinting ability which has led some to call him the ‘new Mbappe’.

“Inter believe he is more than compatible with their project, not to mention complementary to Edin Dzeko.”

The paper said Leao was ‘a credible alternative’ to Lukaku, for whom Manchester United are continuing to drive a hard bargain.

Inter are hoping the Red Devils will drop their asking price because they cannot afford an investment that big without selling Mauro Icardi.