Serie A giants AS Roma are reportedly interested in acquiring the services of Chelsea outcast Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian striker had prior experience with Roma boss Jose Mourinho during his first stint at Chelsea.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Italian giants are closing in on an agreement with the Blues over a loan deal for the striker. The deal is reportedly worth around $11.3 million.
Roma are also working on the player’s astronomical wages. The Premier League club has made it abundantly clear that they won’t contribute, so it seems that the player has to take a cut of about $8.8 million a year.
🚨 Roma are closing in on an agreement with Chelsea for the loan of Romelu Lukaku. £8m-£9m loan fee.
The Italian club are also working on Lukaku’s wages, which Chelsea will not contribute to, so he will have to take a cut to about £7m-a-year.
(Source: @Matt_Law_DT) pic.twitter.com/bUzo96LZl9
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 27, 2023
Lukaku spent the last season at his former club, Inter Milan after he moved back on loan for just one season. The loan was worth $9.8 million. Last season, the striker played 37 matches for the Italian side and scored around 14 goals. He also made seven assists.
Roma, however, isn’t the only team interested in signing the striker. Another Serie A giant Juventus, was also reportedly interested in his service. They even offered a money-plus-player swap offer to Chelsea, which was instantly rejected as the valuation wasn’t the same as what the London-based club was looking for.
Chelsea’s new manager Mauricio Pochettino has been very clear about Lukaku not being part of his plans. Thus, Chelsea is trying to find a way to offload the striker. It remains to be seen if Mourinho’s Roma can successfully land the striker.
Romelu Lukaku’s salary and contract at Chelsea
The Belgian striker re-joined Chelsea from Inter Milan for a second stint in 2021. The move was reportedly worth a record $142 million.
Back in 2021, the former Manchester United star signed a five-year contract with the London-based club. He reportedly earns $21.25 million per year. If broken down into weeks, the player earns around $408,752 per week.
The 30-year-old striker didn’t really have a great comeback at his former club. In his first season after his return, he played around 44 games but netted 15 goals and made 2 assists.
📆 On this day in 2011, a 17-year-old Romelu Lukaku joins Chelsea from Anderlecht.
After four different clubs, 160 goals, a Serie A title…he is back, 10 years later 🔵 pic.twitter.com/4fnMUCL0rO
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 18, 2021
The former managers of the club then lost hope in the striker and sent him back to his previous club, Inter Milan, on loan for the rest of the next season.
He is now back at Stamford Bridge after his loan spell with the Serie A club ended. But neither Chelsea nor the player want to continue this partnership, and thus they are looking for ways to find the player a new club before the transfer market is closed.
It remains to be seen if Romelu Lukaku can find his way toward a new adventure, or will he be stuck at Chelsea again and try his luck out?