Lukaku fee BOMBSHELL dropped by Romano

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 11 Mar 2024 07:23 GMT
• 3 min read

Fabrizio Romano has dropped bombshell news regarding the future of Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, who is on loan at Roma.

Romano previously indicated that Lukaku has not made up his mind regarding his future, yet the football transfer news specialist has indicated that the door is open for him to leave, with an agreement in place with Chelsea that could allow him to leave the Blues permanently in the summer.

The 30-year-old centre-forward only returned to Stamford Bridge in 2021, but after a single season at the club after a €113 million transfer from Inter Milan, he was moved back to San Siro on loan.

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Last summer, Roma took him temporarily after Chelsea’s attempts to offload him failed.

Romano has now indicated that Lukaku, who is under contract with the Premier League side until 2026, could leave for around a third of what he was bought for.

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer rumours

“We know that Chelsea in a gentleman’s agreement – it’s not a clause but an agreement with his agents – when he joined Roma last summer on a dry loan with no buy option included, they wanted to include a price for summer 2024,” Romano revealed on his YouTube channel.

“So this summer, any club interested in Romelu Lukaku, whether that’s Roma or any other, can pay €40 million to sign the Belgian striker. That’s the price, that’s what Chelsea want to sell Lukaku.”

Lukaku has an Estimated Transfer Value of €33.9m, with a top value of €42.3m, suggesting any buyer would be getting value for money from the deal.

Lukaku tight-lipped

Lukaku is being coy over his future after and interview he gave during the winter break in the 2021/22 season that caused uproar at Chelsea.

He revealed to Sky Italia he wasn’t happy with the situation at the club and added: “Now it is the right time to share my feelings. I have always said that I have Inter in my head. I know I will return to Inter, I really hope so. I am in love with Italy.”

Romano has said that his reticence to comment on his future is drawn from the result of that.

“Lukaku didn’t want to comment because that interview he did six months after joining Chelsea caused a big storm. He wants to stay quiet now and focus on the pitch. It’s also important for Roma as they prepare for the future and see if they can play Champions League football next season,” Romano said.