Romelu Lukaku Asked to Take Pay Cut for Move to Roma
Chelsea and Roma have reportedly asked Romelu Lukaku to take a £7 million pay cut in order to facilitate his move to the Italian club. The Blues had initially hoped to sell the Belgian striker permanently this summer, but with time running out in the transfer window, a loan move seems to be the only viable option.
Roma has entered the race for Lukaku, who has previously played for Everton, Manchester United, and Inter Milan. However, his current salary of £325,000-a-week at Stamford Bridge is well beyond their financial reach. As a result, Jose Mourinho’s side is only willing to pay £7 million for Lukaku’s services and is urging the player to reduce his salary for the remainder of his contract.
Talks between Lukaku, Roma, and Chelsea are ongoing, with hopes that the 28-year-old will agree to the proposed terms. Lukaku was signed by Chelsea in a £100 million deal from Inter Milan in 2021. The Premier League club had initially hoped to recoup around £40 million this summer through a return to Inter or a move to Juventus, but those options fell through.
In a recent interview, Lukaku seemed to confirm that a move to Roma was imminent. Speaking to Belgian publication Het Laatste Nieuws at a youth tournament involving his son, he said, “I’m nervous [about his son’s debut], I’m going to Rome [on Sunday] to sign.”
Meanwhile, Lukaku is currently training with Chelsea’s Under-21s and has not spoken to head coach Mauricio Pochettino since the Argentine’s arrival at the club. Pochettino stated that if the player and the club wish to find a solution, they need to talk amongst themselves and inform him of any changes. He accepted the situation when he arrived and acknowledged that he couldn’t change anything.
Roma boss Mourinho, on the other hand, has opened the door to Lukaku’s potential move. The transfer window is closing soon, and it remains to be seen if Lukaku will agree to the pay cut and complete his move to Roma.
In conclusion, Romelu Lukaku has been asked to take a £7 million pay cut by both Chelsea and Roma in order to facilitate his move to the Italian club. Talks are ongoing, and it remains to be seen if Lukaku will agree to the proposed terms. With time running out in the transfer window, a loan move seems to be the only viable option for the Belgian striker.