Roma have confirmed the signing of Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku on a season-long loan.
The 30-year-old will reunite with former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho for the 2023-24 campaign, and Chelsea will reportedly receive up to Β£8m for the striker's temporary exit.
Roma do not have an option or obligation to make Lukaku's deal permanent next year, but the Giallorossi will cover the Belgian's wages, which he has agreed to slash in order to return to Italy.
"The welcome I've received from this club and its fans has excited me and given me even more motivation to give my all for my new team," Lukaku told the official Roma website.
"As an opponent, I felt the atmosphere of the Stadio Olimpico, and felt the warmth of the Romanisti. It's nice to know I'm a part of it today.
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β AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) August 31, 2023
The club is delighted to confirm the signing of the world-renowned Belgian forward!
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#ASRoma | @ICMEC_official pic.twitter.com/ILrHcAc5IJ
"I recently got the opportunity to speak with the owners, and I was impressed by their ambition. Now we must work, be humble, and grow game by game. For my part, I can't wait to be available to my teammates both on and off the pitch."
Lukaku was originally expected to return to Inter Milan on a permanent basis following his loan spell from Chelsea in the 2022-23 campaign, but the Nerazzurri allegedly dropped their interest after learning that he was also in talks with Juventus.
Inter were left furious at the revelations, but Juve - who still have Dusan Vlahovic on the books - failed to come to an agreement with Chelsea, allowing Roma to move to the head of the queue.
Given his desire to work under Mourinho's wing, Lukaku jumped at the chance to return to Italy, and Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto believes that the 30-year-old's arrival gives the Giallorossi an added "drive to win".
"Knowing that Lukaku has chosen Roma can only bring us great satisfaction. With his arrival, we gain more experience, professionalism, and a drive to win," Pinto added.
Β© Reuters
"All our decisions are focused on increasing the squad's competitiveness, and we continually assess their performances on the pitch. However, it makes us very proud to watch the fans greet Romelu with such excitement."
Lukaku will wear the number 90 shirt for Roma, where he joins fellow new recruits Houssem Aouar, Renato Sanches, Leandro Paredes, Evan Ndicka and Rasmus Kristensen.
After firing Inter to the 2020-21 Serie A title with 24 goals and 10 assists, Lukaku re-signed to Chelsea for Β£97.5m, but the Belgium international dropped a bombshell interview with Italian media only a few months after arriving, admitting that he was struggling with Thomas Tuchel's system and yearned for a return to Serie A.
Lukaku managed 15 goals in 44 matches for the Blues before rejoining Inter on loan, where he came up with 14 goals and seven assists in 37 matches, as Simone Inzaghi's men won the Coppa Italia and finished as runners-up to Manchester City in the Champions League.
The ex-Everton and Man United man becomes the 21st player to leave Chelsea either permanently or on loan this summer, and his contract at Stamford Bridge still has just under three years left to run.
Ben Knapton
