Clubs will be able to sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku for just £37m next summer, it has been revealed, thanks to a clause that is set to be added to his contract ahead of a loan move to Roma this summer.
The Belgian striker is finally closing in on a loan move away from Stamford Bridge this summer after the Blues opted to allow him to leave temporarily, with the permanent sale of the forward no longer an option despite interest from Saudi Arabia.
The 30-year-old had been expected to return to Inter Milan this summer, but the Nerazzuri couldn’t stump up the funds required to do a deal and eventually pulled out of a move after it emerged that Lukaku was also in talks with Serie A rivals Juventus.
That move also collapsed, with Juve’s interest in the Belgian contingent on selling Dusan Vlahovic, but neither PSG nor Chelsea showed any strong interest in the Serbian attacker, while fans took to the pitch to protest any potential Lukaku move.
Now he is set to join Roma for the upcoming campaign and reunited with Jose Mourinho, who bought him to Manchester United during his time at Old Trafford.
In doing so, he is set to take a hefty wage hit and will save Chelsea around £16m in the process. Should he succeed, it is also reported that “Chelsea have also written a £37million release clause into his new contract”, while he will be on reduced wages should he return to the club at the end of the campaign.
Meanwhile, a source close to the family has said, ‘The Friedkin family are highly engaged and committed to building AS Roma to achieve the glory the club and the fans deserve. Dan and Ryan efforts and investment are clearly seen in deals such as this, bringing world tier players such as Lukaku to be a part of their vision.’
