Chelsea FC
Chelsea have agreed a season-long loan deal with Roma for Romelu Lukaku, according to media reports on Monday.
The Serie A side will pay £8m to take the wantaway striker for a year as a solution to the stand-off between player and club appears finally to be in sight.
Reports also mentioned that there will be no obligation for the club to make the deal permanent.
The uncertainty surrounding Lukaku, who joined Chelsea for £97.5m in 2021 but scored only eight Premier League goals in 26 games before being loaned out to Inter Milan last season, has hung over the early weeks of Mauricio Pochettino's time in charge.
The manager hinted last week that he would be willing to consider reintegrating the Belgium international into his squad if no deal for him to leave could be reached before Friday's transfer deadline.
But that impasse was averted on Monday night after a deal was struck for the 30-year-old, who spent three years on Chelsea's books between 2011-14 but made just 10 appearances between loan spells at West Brom and Everton, to join up with ex-Blues boss Jose Mourinho in the Italian capital.
Go to video
Pics of the day: March 13, 2025
02:02
Emotion and power of sport on Day 4 of Special Olympics World Games in Turin
Go to video
Pics of the day: February 20, 2025
01:00
Experts warn of hazards as Mount Etna eruption draws surge of visitors
01:00
Etna in action: spectacular eruption and diverted flights
03:33
Pope Francis hospitalised for respiratory infection