Romelu Lukaku will sign permanently for Roma if…

Carlo Garganese

• 20 Dec 2023 12:50 CST
• 3 min read

Romelu Lukaku can only sign permanently for Roma at the end of the season if they qualify for the Champions League.

That is according to the Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that Roma can only afford to buy Lukaku if they are in next season’s Champions League.

Lukaku has an unofficial release clause of €40 million which will be accepted by Chelsea next summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Roma have some work to do to get into the Champions League places as they are currently eighth in Serie A, three points behind Bologna in fourth.

However, fifth place could still earn them Champions League qualification as Italy will receive an extra place in next season’s newly revamped tournament if they finish in the top two of UEFA’s league coefficients. Italy are currently top of the standings.

Roma would also qualify for the Champions League if they win the Europa League this season.

The Giallorossi will also face opposition from Saudi Arabian clubs, who are ready to launch another mega offer in the summer having been rejected by the Belgian this past 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.

Lukaku has made an excellent start for his current club in 2023-24.

Despite arriving in the Italian capital very short of match fitness, the ex-Inter man took no time to get into his groove.

He has scored 12 goals in 19 appearances in all competitions, averaging a goal every 132 minutes.

Lukaku has 19 goals in total for club and country in 2023-24, as well as three assists.