chiesa di totti 
04-05-2024 05:58
04-05-2024 05:58
Lukaku Could Remain in London if Conte Takes Over Chelsea
When Tammy Abraham went down with a torn ACL in the final match of the 2022-2023 season, Roma's striker room was thrown into flux. While he couldn't quite recapture the magic of his debut season in the capital, Abraham still accounted for 36 goals and 13 assists during his first two years with the Giallorossi.
With his star striker facing a lengthy rehab, former General Manager Tiago Pinto spent all summer chasing Abraham's replacement before settling on Sardar Azmoun, bringing the Iranian international aboard on a one-year loan from Bayer Leverkusen. While Azmoun wasn't without his merits, he wasn't exactly the bell cow José Mourinho craved—Roma needed a hulking number nine to capitalize on Paulo Dybala's creativity.
Enter Romelu Lukaku. The giant Belgian striker had terrorized Serie A defenses to the tune of 78 goals in 132 appearances during his non-consecutive stints with Inter Milan but left the San Siro on a sour note. While he probably didn't have as many suitors as the rumor mill led us to believe, Roma bided their time, landing Lukaku on a dry loan on August 30th.
Despite signing late in the summer, Lukaku hit the ground running, bagging seven goals in his first ten matches with the Giallorossi. And while his scoring rate has fluctuated since then, he remained a commanding presence alongside Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Stephan El Shaarawy, leading many to call for a permanent transfer.
There was just one problem. Check that—there were forty million problems. With Chelsea holding firm to their approximately €40 million valuation of the 30-year-old striker, Lukaku's lupi lifeline was tenuous at best. Still, with the club's fortunes completely reversed once Daniele De Rossi took over, the clamoring for Lukaku reached a fever pitch.
While Roma may very well pull out all the stops to retain Lukaku, there's a new wrinkle to this story. According to Sportmediaset, if Antonio Conte does return to Chelsea, he may demand that Lukaku remain at Stamford Bridge rather than continue his Roman adventure.
The extent to which Roma fights to retain Lukaku will speak volumes about next year's approach. Will the club, who still haven't hired a new Director of Sport, really lay down €40 million + for a 30-year-old striker, or will this force them to pivot to younger and cheaper options?
Throw Tammy Abraham's uncertain future into the mix, and De Rossi may have to break in two new strikers next fall.
Stay tuned!
With his star striker facing a lengthy rehab, former General Manager Tiago Pinto spent all summer chasing Abraham's replacement before settling on Sardar Azmoun, bringing the Iranian international aboard on a one-year loan from Bayer Leverkusen. While Azmoun wasn't without his merits, he wasn't exactly the bell cow José Mourinho craved—Roma needed a hulking number nine to capitalize on Paulo Dybala's creativity.
Enter Romelu Lukaku. The giant Belgian striker had terrorized Serie A defenses to the tune of 78 goals in 132 appearances during his non-consecutive stints with Inter Milan but left the San Siro on a sour note. While he probably didn't have as many suitors as the rumor mill led us to believe, Roma bided their time, landing Lukaku on a dry loan on August 30th.
Despite signing late in the summer, Lukaku hit the ground running, bagging seven goals in his first ten matches with the Giallorossi. And while his scoring rate has fluctuated since then, he remained a commanding presence alongside Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Stephan El Shaarawy, leading many to call for a permanent transfer.
There was just one problem. Check that—there were forty million problems. With Chelsea holding firm to their approximately €40 million valuation of the 30-year-old striker, Lukaku's lupi lifeline was tenuous at best. Still, with the club's fortunes completely reversed once Daniele De Rossi took over, the clamoring for Lukaku reached a fever pitch.
While Roma may very well pull out all the stops to retain Lukaku, there's a new wrinkle to this story. According to Sportmediaset, if Antonio Conte does return to Chelsea, he may demand that Lukaku remain at Stamford Bridge rather than continue his Roman adventure.
The extent to which Roma fights to retain Lukaku will speak volumes about next year's approach. Will the club, who still haven't hired a new Director of Sport, really lay down €40 million + for a 30-year-old striker, or will this force them to pivot to younger and cheaper options?
Throw Tammy Abraham's uncertain future into the mix, and De Rossi may have to break in two new strikers next fall.
Stay tuned!