Romelu Lukaku Roma transfer: What’s the latest?

Roma has emerged as the most likely destination for Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian international is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge with a move away likely in the coming days. Here’s the latest with the Romelu Lukaku Roma transfer.

Lukaku has been viewed as a potential target for a number of major European clubs this summer, yet we reach the final days of the transfer window with the player still at Chelsea. That’s surprising to some extent given some of the sums that have been paid for forwards with considerably less impressive goalscoring track records than Lukaku.

However the high cost of the 30 year old who is on big money at Chelsea, combined with his struggles in recent years, appear to have convinced a number of European clubs not to follow through on initial interest. With Chelsea now considering loan offers for Lukaku, Roma have emerged as the front runners for his signature in a move that would see Lukaku link up with former Chelsea and Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.

Romelu Lukaku Roma transfer – Latest update

Chelsea’s ideal solution for Lukaku was always a permanent transfer but a lack of interested parties in such a deal has forced them into considering loan offers. It is in neither the club nor the player’s interests for the striker to remain at Stamford Bridge beyond Friday’s deadline, so all parties are now pushing for a deal.

Roma and Chelsea have been in negotiations over a loan move and this deal now appears close to being agreed. It is being reported as a straight loan which would involve the Premier League club receiving a loan fee for the player and the exact amount of that fee is currently the only major stumbling block preventing this move from going through.

It looks like there will be no mandatory buy option, which is again something Chelsea would have preferred as they sought a permanent exit for a player who has three years to run on his current deal in England, but does not seem to have any role to play in the club’s future plans under new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Lukaku keen for Mourinho reunion

Romelu Lukaku has already reportedly agreed to join Roma whilst taking a pay cut to ensure the deal goes through. The striker has rejected offers to move to Saudi Arabia this summer and appears to be attracted by the idea of working with Jose Mourinho once more.

Lukaku joined Mourinho’s Manchester United in the summer of 2017 and scored 16 Premier League goals in his first Premier League season at Old Trafford under the Portuguese boss. It wasn’t until the departure of Mourinho and appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in late 2018 that things started to go wrong for Lukaku in Manchester and although he’d subsequently have two good seasons in Serie A with Inter, the 30 year old will be hoping that a reunion with Mourinho can help spark a return to his best form.

For Roma, this would be a significant coup. With striker Tammy Abraham sidelined for the majority of the season with an ACL injury, the Serie A club were always going to need to add a striker to their ranks and in Lukaku they are getting a player who is capable of spearheading their domestic and European push this season.

Lukaku has netted 57 goals across his 3 seasons in Serie A with Inter. He looks set to join a Roma side that has made a slow start to the 2023/24 season, taking just one point from their opening two league games and Mourinho would ideally like to have him in the squad by the time of Friday’s big showdown with AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico.

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