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With the transfer deadline fast approaching and Roma's finishing woes rearing their ugly head in yesterday's 2-1 defeat to Hellas Verona, the club's continuing pursuit of Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has taken on greater urgency. While Ryan Friedkin and General Manager Tiago Pinto emerged from their Friday meeting without a deal in place, both sides were reportedly optimistic that an accord could be struck for the 30-year-old Belgian forward.
Yesterday, it appeared as though Lukaku's salary was the sticking point: Was he willing to lower his nearly €11 million salary to a more palatable €7 or€8 million, and if so, would Chelsea cover a portion?
#Lukaku-@OfficialASRoma: in pieno conto alla rovescia. Tra club sono ormai in chiusura: la cifra alla fine dovrebbe essere sui 5 milioni. Ora stanno trattando con l'agente per trovare la quadratura finale sullo stipendio. Si dovrebbe arrivare a 7.5 milioni netti
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) August 27, 2023
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the deal is getting "closer and closer." While the two clubs have agreed to a €5 million loan, Roma and Lukaku's agent are still sorting out the finer points of his wage packet, believed to be in the neighborhood of €7.5 million.
If everything goes according to plan, Lukaku will reportedly fly back to London to finalize the deal.
We'll pass along updates as they become available.
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