Chelsea 'insert new clause' in Romelu Lukaku contract as Belgian closes in on Roma loan move

Chelsea have added a new condition to Romelu Lukaku’s contract as the striker looks to leave for Roma, a report has claimed.

Lukaku looks to be joining Serie A side Roma on a season-long loan, in a deal that will see the Belgian reunite with Jose Mourinho, who persuaded the player to join Manchester United ahead of Chelsea back in 2017.

According to the BBC, Lukaku’s loan move includes an £8million fee, with Roma set to cover the 30-year-old's wages.

Inter had hoped Lukaku would join them this summer, with the Belgian international having spent the last season with the club. However, Lukaku was reportedly unhappy coach Simone Inzaghi did not start him in the Champions League final.

Moreover, Juventus were also keen to sign the striker, who does not feature in Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino’s plans.

While there are still details to be finalised, it has been widely reported that the agreement for his return to Italy is essentially done.

And according to the Telegraph’s Matt Law, while there is no obligation to buy at the end of the loan spell, Chelsea have added a new condition in Lukaku’s contract in case he performs well in the Italian capital.

The reporter claimed that the Blues have inserted a £37million release clause in the Belgian’s current deal, to incentivise clubs to buy the attacker after his stint in Rome.

Law added on X, the social media platform formally known as Twitter, that Lukaku is due to arrive in Rome at around 5pm Italian time ahead of medical.

Moreover, an official announcement of his Roma move is expected on Wednesday. A club source told the journalist: “The owners of AS Roma are committed to ensuring that a deal with Lukaku is done.

“The club has improved year on year with the Friedkin family's investment and they see him as a core part of their vision for the club to achieve their best result yet, and finish Top 4 in Serie A.

“The Friedkin family are highly engaged and committed to building AS Roma to achieve the glory the club and the fans deserve. Dan and Ryan’s efforts and investment are clearly seen in deals such as this, bringing world-class players such as Lukaku to be a part of their vision.”

Topics: Football, AS Roma, Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea, Todd Boehly

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.