Chelsea find themselves needing to sell Romelu Lukaku this summer to raise funds, so if Roma will not take up their option to buy, he will be shopped elsewhere – and fast.
Telegraph Sport report on suggestions Chelsea must raise £100m by June 30 to avoid falling foul of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
The club seems confident it will not be a problem, but that is also taking into consideration the assumption that Lukaku will be sold for that £37m target.
It is a big assumption that if Roma do not buy the Belgian, then he will accept a transfer to Saudi Arabia, which he already rejected outright last summer.
Considering Lukaku’s future has dragged on to practically deadline day last year, it seems a big jump to predict an easy resolution.
The striker was a massive €113m investment when purchased from Inter in the summer of 2021, but failed to replicate that form at Stamford Bridge and within a couple of months was already publicly admitting he regretted the move.
Since then, Lukaku has been determined to go back to Serie A, first on loan at Inter, then to Roma this season at a cost of €5.8m.
Although not formal, there is believed to be an agreed option to buy at the end of this term for €40m.
However, that might be a bit much for Roma in their current financial status and it is entirely possible they will not be able to make the move permanent.