Roma set to sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on season-long loan

Chelsea have agreed a season-long loan deal with Roma for Romelu Lukaku, the PA news agency understands. The Serie A side will pay £8million 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. PA understands that there is 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. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live