Chelsea: Lukaku won't play for Blues again after Roma latest, says pundit

By Frank McAvennie

12th Nov, 2023 | 6:00am

Romelu Lukaku won't play for Chelsea ever again after update - pundit

Romelu Lukaku will never play for Chelsea again as Roma look to make his loan deal permanent.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former West Ham and Scotland striker Frank McAvennie believes the 30-year-old has found a home at AS Roma during his summer loan from Stamford Bridge.

Jose Mourinho’s side reportedly want to sign Lukaku permanently after his loan ends this summer, with Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto believed to have negotiated a £30million option to buy.

Belgium’s all-time top scorer joined the Blues from Inter Milan in 2021 for £97.5million, scoring 15 goals in in 44 appearances in his second stint at Stamford Bridge.

McAvennie feels the permanent move would be ideal for both parties and doesn’t back Lukaku to have an impact at Chelsea again.

“That’s it now, Jose Mourinho has been saying things about him, I don’t think he’ll come back to Chelsea,” he told Football Insider.

“Mourinho, for me, he looks after players and they look after him on the park.

“Lukaku’s been all over the place. He’s not been grounded. Everyone knows how good of a player Rome isn’t a bad place to play football!

“I think he may have found a home and a manager that loves him, puts his arms around him and he’ll show that back too.

“It’s a great deal all round because he won’t play well for Chelsea – he won’t play for them ever again.”

In other news, Chelsea wait in the wings to swoop for Rayan Cherki.