Roma send Lukaku back to Chelsea

Carlo Garganese

• 14 Feb 2024 11:20 GMT
• 3 min read

Roma have decided to send Romelu Lukaku back to Chelsea at the end of the season, according to multiple reports in Italy.

Lukaku is currently on a one-year loan at the Stadio Olimpico from the Blues.

A permanent deal was always going to be difficult as Chelsea have set an asking price of €40 million, a fee that Roma can neither afford nor can pay without falling foul of FFP regulations.

Lukaku’s huge salary is also out of reach for Roma.

Roma had hoped to negotiate these financial hurdles but have now decided they don’t want Lukaku for sporting reasons, also.

The striker started the season very well but his form has nosedived in recent months.

In 2024, in particular, Lukaku has delivered a string of very poor displays.

He has scored just one goal in his last seven appearances in 2024 and his overall game has been even worse.

On Saturday he was one of the worst players on the pitch again as Roma lost 4-2 to Inter, Lukaku missing a one-on-one.

This has all but confirmed that Roma will send Lukaku back to Chelsea in the summer.

A move to Saudi Arabia is now considered the most likely destination for Lukaku in the summer.

Lukaku on loan at Roma

Lukaku is currently spending a second season on loan away from Chelsea, this time at Roma after spending the 2022-23 campaign back at Inter.

The 30-year-old had rejoined Chelsea from Inter in the summer of 2021 for a then-club record transfer fee of €115m.

But he was a disaster during the 2021-22 campaign, falling out with manager Thomas Tuchel, criticising the club publicly and performing poorly on the pitch.

Since then Chelsea have decided Lukaku won’t play for the club again, a sentiment shared by the Belgian.

He spent the 2022-23 campaign back at Inter, and is now on a season-long loan at Roma.