Roma reached an agreement with Chelsea on Monday to sign striker Romelu Lukaku on a season-long loan deal, sources told to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.
Roma will reportedly cover €7.5 million of Lukaku’s original €11.5-million salary and pay Chelsea a loan fee worth more than €5 million.
Lukaku agreed to take a pay cut to make the deal work, according to The Telegraph’s Matt Law.
Chelsea spent the summer trying to offload Lukaku, who returned to the club following a one-year loan spell at Inter Milan. The Italians wanted to re-sign the Belgian international on a permanent basis but abandoned negotiations when they learned he had been in secret talks with bitter rivals Juventus.
Juventus fans protested Lukaku’s potential arrival during a preseason match earlier this month. Fans also unfurled a banner that read, “Lukaku, stay in Milan, we already have a second goalkeeper.”
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino recently admitted the club had already decided to dump Lukaku by the time he took the job in May.
“The situation with the player you are asking is a situation that was already really clear before we arrived here,” Pochettino told reporters. “There was a wish between the club and the player to try to find a solution (for a new club). At the moment, we are relaxed, and nothing happened. If something changes, we will inform.”
Lukaku entered the last couple of weeks of the transfer window without any real suitors. Roma emerged as a last resort, with club owner Dan Friedkin reportedly flying to London to meet with the player and negotiate a lower salary.
Lukaku will reunite with Jose Mourinho at Roma. The Portuguese manager coached the 30-year-old during the early part of his career with Chelsea and again at Manchester United in 2018.
With exactly one week left in the transfer window, many clubs are scrambling to make last-minute additions, either to put themselves over the top or rectify issues that have emerged early in the new season. There’s still plenty of talent available to accomplish those goals. Here are 20 players who could yet be on the move prior to the Sept. 1 deadline.
Note: Estimated transfer values provided by transfermarkt.com.
Central midfielders, particularly with a proclivity for the defensive side of the game, are going to be very popular on this list as some of Europe’s top clubs scramble to complete much-needed midfield rebuilds. Amrabat, not currently training with Fiorentina’s first team, is chief among the candidates.
Folarin Balogun (Arsenal)
Age: 22 Position: Striker Estimated value: €30M
Balogun’s future has been a source of intrigue ever since he returned to Arsenal following a prolific loan spell at Reims. Eddie Nketiah is Mikel Arteta’s preferred option whenever Gabriel Jesus is unavailable, meaning Balogun must look elsewhere for minutes. A transfer to Monaco seems imminent.
Juventus publicly cast the decorated veteran aside early in the summer, leaving him out of the team’s preseason tour of the United States. Bonucci, whose physical decline has been severe, reportedly wanted to remain in Italy. But with few domestic suitors, he now appears set to join Union Berlin.
Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)
Age: 29 Position: Full-back Estimated value: €50M
Pep Guardiola’s decision to eschew traditional full-backs worked wonders for Manchester City last season, so Cancelo’s return from his Bayern Munich loan was always likely to be temporary until another suitor came along. Barcelona, still in a delicate financial state, are trying to formulate a deal.
Now 31 and clearly not at the peak of his powers any longer, Coutinho profiles like a prime candidate to collect one last big payday in the Middle East. Saudi Arabian and Qatari clubs are reportedly interested in signing the diminutive Brazilian playmaker, whose career has fizzled since leaving Liverpool.
Whether it happens over the next week or next summer, Crystal Palace are in line to turn a massive profit on the holding midfielder who joined the Eagles from Lens last year for around £21 million. Talk of Liverpool’s interest has been incessant, but Palace will fight to keep the blossoming Malian.
Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)
Age: 23 Position: Forward Estimated value: €50M
Felix, who has looked downright miserable all summer while waiting for a transfer to materialize, clearly wants a fresh start. At this point, Atletico Madrid would surely welcome a transfer, too. The Portuguese forward still has plenty to offer, but his next move will be critical to get his career back on track.
Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich)
Age: 21 Position: Central midfielder Estimated value: €30M
Gravenberch arrived in Bavaria last summer as one of the most exciting midfield prospects in all of world football. But after just three starts and 576 Bundesliga minutes in his debut season at Bayern, the young Dutchman is being tipped to depart in search of more regular playing time.
Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Age: 24 Position: Striker Estimated value: €80M
Paris Saint-Germain have been working to sign Kolo Muani all summer as they try to leave their failed Galacticos experiment in the rearview and embark on a new era built around young French stars. The two clubs are reportedly “optimistic” about striking a deal before the Sept. 1 deadline.
West Ham United are on the brink of winning a heated race for one of the game’s most electrifying talents. Kudus, linked with Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this summer, could cost the Hammers nearly €45 million plus a hefty sell-on clause. The Ghanaian is more than worth it.
Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
Age: 30 Position: Striker Estimated value: €40M
Lukaku played this one horribly. He apparently ghosted Inter, the one team that actually wanted him, enraging the club’s brass and ending any hope of a return that seemed like a foregone conclusion. Chelsea want him out, and Juventus fans protested against his potential arrival. Now what?
Nobody on this list needs a move more than Maguire, the much-maligned defender who has unfortunately gone from Manchester United captain to a punchline in record time. The Red Devils’ valuation could be a stumbling block, but for the good of all parties, Maguire needs to leave Old Trafford.
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Age: 24 Position: Forward Estimated value: €180M
After a winding – and, frankly, tiring – encore of this never-ending transfer saga, Mbappe and PSG appear back on amicable terms despite an extremely bitter contract feud that led to the French superstar’s alienation from the squad. He could stay. He could join Real Madrid. At this point, who knows.
Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Age: 24 Position: Central midfielder Estimated value: €45M
Nunes’ move to Wolves was never just about his on-pitch abilities. Were it not for his ties to super-agent Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese midfielder would have went straight from Sporting CP to a top-tier European side. Molineux was always just a pit stop, with Manchester City now keen on a deal.
Amadou Onana (Everton)
Age: 22 Position: Central midfielder Estimated value: €45M
Given some of the astronomical fees being thrown around for midfielders this summer, Everton would be well within their right to demand a huge sum for Onana. The Belgian could instantly improve many top-end clubs, and he still has room to improve.
Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich)
Age: 27 Position: Defender Estimated value: €40M
Inter Milan have reportedly agreed to an initial €30-million deal with Bayern Munich for the versatile French defender, who is looking for a new adventure after four years in Germany. The Bundesliga champions must find a replacement before sanctioning a sale, though. The clock is ticking.
Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City)
Age: 27 Position: Central midfielder Estimated value: €32M
Manchester City being on the hunt for another midfielder prior to the deadline likely says everything you need to know about whether Phillips’ status within the squad has changed at all. Stapled to the bench last season, the Englishman is a candidate to make a last-minute loan move on deadline day.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Age: 31 Position: Forward Estimated value: €65M
Every transfer insider has been steadfast in reporting that Liverpool don’t want to sell Salah this summer, and that the Egyptian star, who signed a new contract just last summer, is happy at Anfield. But until the window closes, continued rumors of a gargantuan Saudi offer will have Reds fans sweating.
Khephren Thuram (Nice)
Age: 22 Position: Central midfielder Estimated value: €40M
The trail has gone somewhat cold after Thuram was linked with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United earlier in the summer. But, assuming that interest was genuine, the Frenchman could reemerge as a target in the final week of the window as clubs circle back on their familiar targets.
Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
Age: 30 Position: Central midfielder Estimated value: €40M
Lionel Messi left. Neymar was jettisoned. Verratti could be next. PSG are looking to part with the metronomic Italian, and clubs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar are lining up to oblige them. The crafty midfielder won’t come cheap, though, as Al-Hilal have learned in their negotiations with the French side.
Luuk de Jong scored a late equaliser as PSV Eindhoven secured a 2-2 draw at Rangers in the first leg of their Champions League play-off round tie on Tuesday.
The Dutch giants, aiming for revenge after defeat by Rangers at the same stage of the competition last season, twice pegged back their hosts to seal a repeat of the first-leg result from 12 months ago.
Last year, Rangers edged through with a 1-0 second-leg win in the Netherlands, but will need another surprise away win next week to book a return to the group stage after an entertaining clash at Ibrox.
“I don’t think they’ll underestimate us, but they’d better not,” Rangers manager Michael Beale told TNT Sports.
“This is a PSV team who haven’t been beaten since February and we nearly did (it) tonight.”
Senegalese youngster Abdallah Sima, signed from Angers in the close-season, scored a fantastic opening goal to give Rangers a 45th-minute lead against the run of play.
Ibrahim Sangare levelled for PSV just after the hour mark and the visitors looked to be pushing for a winner until a sweeping Rangers counter-attack was finished by Rabbi Matondo.
But the Scottish side, who struggled in the Champions League group stage last season with six successive defeats, could not hold onto the lead as De Jong bundled home from a corner with 10 minutes remaining.
Royal Antwerp boosted their hopes of a first appearance in the European Cup proper since the 1957-58 season with a 1-0 first-leg win over AEK Athens in Belgium.
FC Copenhagen also moved a step closer to the group phase with a 1-0 away success over Polish champions Rakow.
Time is running out for teams to make a splash in the summer transfer window. With the shopping period set to close in two weeks, we highlight one squad upgrade for each of Europe’s top clubs.
Note: Estimated transfer values provided by transfermarkt.com.
Premier League
Arsenal: Mohamed Simakan
Club: RB Leipzig Position: Defender Value: €25M
Jurrien Timber suffered a serious injury during Arsenal’s opening-day victory over Nottingham Forest, forcing sporting director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta to discuss another potential arrival before the transfer window shuts. Simakan and his RB Leipzig teammate Benjamin Henrichs have been linked with the Gunners in the past and are versatile defensive options.
Chelsea: Kasper Schmeichel
Club: Nice Position: Goalkeeper Value: €2M
On behalf of rival clubs and their supporters: Give it a rest, Chelsea. But if the Blues must dip into the market once again, they should target a goalkeeper. Despite their vast expenditure, Chelsea’s new No. 1, Robert Sanchez, is arguably inferior to the second-choice ‘keepers at Arsenal and Manchester City. He needs competition to spur him on, and Schmeichel should fit the bill.
Florentino is exactly the kind of player Jurgen Klopp needs: He’s a riot of interceptions and tackles at the base of midfield, always looks to move the ball upfield, and doesn’t misplace many passes. He’s yet to make a senior appearance for Portugal – ex-national team boss Fernando Santos deserves most of the blame for that – and turns 24 on Saturday.
Manchester City: Lucas Paqueta
Club: West Ham United Position: Attacking midfielder Value: €45M
Manchester City’s search for a midfielder intensified following Kevin De Bruyne’s long-term injury. Paqueta is widely dubbed a playmaker, but he completed the same number of tackles (71) as Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Kyle Walker, and Aymeric Laporte combined last season.
Manchester United’s porous midfield was on full display during Monday’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Onana will undoubtedly be tempted to jump ship from Everton, a club synonymous with chaos, and was dribbled past just 12 times last season. For comparison, Casemiro was bypassed 44 times.
Newcastle United: Kieran Tierney
Club: Arsenal Position: Left-back Value: €25M
Newcastle are increasingly conscious of following financial guidelines after striking some expensive deals this summer. Negotiating a season-long loan with an option or obligation to buy should keep the Magpies within the rules, with Tierney and Marc Cucurella – who’ve fallen down the pecking orders at Arsenal and Chelsea, respectively – potentially available on those terms.
Tottenham Hotspur: Romelu Lukaku
Club: Chelsea Position: Striker Value: €40M
Lukaku endures a lot of heckling from football supporters for a player who’s registered 121 Premier League goals and scored 57 times in 84 Serie A matches. Chelsea are keen to offload the striker so would likely accept a cut-price deal, but Tottenham would need to encourage Lukaku to accept a lower salary in north London.
Amrabat is still hot property after he impressed as Morocco’s nucleus during the African nation’s run to the 2022 World Cup semifinals. Pablo Barrios, 20, is a promising talent, but Atletico Madrid would benefit from another driving presence in midfield to partner Rodrigo De Paul and ensure the team isn’t reliant on Koke and Saul Niguez to be fit or on form.
Barcelona: Joao Cancelo
Club: Manchester City Position: Right-back Value: €50M
Ronald Araujo playing at right-back is a waste of one of La Liga’s best central defenders. It can’t last. Cancelo is available after last season’s fallout with Pep Guardiola. At his best, Cancelo is one of the finest full-backs in the world. He should be available on loan with an option or obligation to buy, easing Barcelona’s efforts to keep their finances in check.
David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger form a strong center-back pairing, but Carlo Ancelotti may want an extra piece in that position after Eder Militao tore his ACL during Real Madrid’s first match of the campaign. Pavard, who’s also comfortable at right-back, would be a quality addition and is apparently open to seeking a new challenge this summer.
Serie A
AC Milan: Mehdi Taremi
Club: FC Porto Position: Striker Value: €18M
Taremi is an ideal candidate to share game time with Olivier Giroud – who turns 37 in September. The Iranian is a powerful presence in attack, logging plenty of touches in opponents’ boxes as he battles with defenders. He’s a regular source of goals, with 58 finishes and 30 assists over 100 Primeira Liga outings for FC Porto.
Inter Milan need to step up their pursuit of Samardzic, which is at risk of falling apart. The attacking midfielder can score from range in both open play and dead-ball situations, and only Roberto Pereyra provided more key passes for Udinese last season. At just 21, time is on the Serbian international’s side to improve even further.
Juventus: Khephren Thuram
Club: Nice Position: Midfielder Value: €40M
Thuram was born in northern Italy months before his father, World Cup winner Lilian, moved to Juventus for a successful five-season spell. Khephren has caught the eye since joining Nice following the expiration of his youth contract at Monaco, blending an impressive knack for carrying the ball forward with an ability to play multiple midfield roles and his impressive work rate.
Napoli: Gabri Veiga
Club: Celta Vigo Position: Midfielder Value: €30M
Even if Piotr Zielinski stays put, Napoli should consider a strong push to sign Veiga from Celta Vigo. His emergence at his local side has mercifully taken some weight off Iago Aspas’ shoulders as he matched his hero in goal contributions (15 – 11 goals and four assists) and outperformed his xG more than any other La Liga player last season.
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich: Stefan Ortega Moreno
Club: Manchester City Position: Goalkeeper Value: €9M
Ortega has impressed as Ederson’s deputy at Manchester City since arriving on a free transfer last summer. He’s extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet and is a consummate shot-stopper so should be a good buy for Thomas Tuchel’s side. Given he’s a second-choice goalkeeper now, he’s likely to be more open than most to stepping aside once Manuel Neuer is fit again.
Borussia Dortmund: Armel Bella-Kotchap
Club: Southampton Position: Defender Value: €20M
Bella-Kotchap isn’t in plain sight while he grafts in the wilderness of England’s second tier, so he should seek a move in a bid to stay in Germany’s plans ahead of Euro 2024. There are rumors that the 21-year-old is reluctant to be backup to Niklas Sule and Mats Hummels, but with the latter turning 35 this year, there should still be plenty of minutes available at Dortmund.
Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with Kolo Muani for some time and should bring the attacker aboard now that Neymar’s left for Saudi Arabia in a transfer reportedly worth €90 million. The French forward ranked second in attempted dribbles and seventh for total shots in the Bundesliga last season and boasts searing pace. He’s also from Bondy – the same Paris district where Kylian Mbappe grew up.