Jose Mourinho has already explained how Romelu Lukaku needs to be managed as Roma weigh up a move for the striker, who is ‘not talking’ to Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino.
The Belgian striker has become problematic at Stamford Bridge because he is not in Pochettino’s plans but the club have been unable to sell him due to his wage demands and the Blues being unwilling to part way with the striker on the cheap due to their investment in his signing.
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Lukaku was a popular figure with Roma’s Serie A rivals Inter before he was lured back to Stamford Bridge for a second spell in 2021 in a blockbuster £97.5million move. But after struggling to live up to expectations, the 30-year-old was shipped back out to the Serie A outfit on loan before the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Belgian striker was plagued by injuries last season and has found the net 14 times in 37 appearances but was not a regular as his side reached the Champions League final. However, a return to Milan is now off the table – with the Nerazzurri instead signing Marcus Thuram and Marko Arnautovic.
The Telegraph have outlined how Lukaku hasn’t even spoken with Pochettino after making clear his desire to leave Stamford Bridge and that he is not part of the first-team training. With just over a week over the transfer window remaining, time is of the essence to finalise a move.
Roma have been linked with a move for Lukaku by Calciomercato; Mourinho briefly managed the Belgian at Chelsea before signing him for Manchester United in 2017. The Giallorossi are on the lookout for a striker due to Tammy Abraham being sidelined through injury.
Mourinho has had somewhat of an up-and-down relationship with the striker, having sold him at the Blues before signing him at United – but they are clearly familiar with each other and the Portuguese boss is in no doubt about how to get the best out of Lukaku, who is said to favour a move to Italy.
“[In his first spell] at Chelsea, he was still a kid. At Manchester United, he was still developing. At Inter he became the top man,” Mourinho told The Times in June last year.
He became loved – a big love from the supporters, love from teammates, great relations with the coach. He’s a big guy, physically so strong, but there is also a kid inside who needs that love, needs that support, needs to feel important.”
Chelsea have signed Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku this summer but an injury to the latter means that they are likely to move to sign another forward before the close of the summer transfer window.
