Roma: Who’s Next After Lukaku?

The prospects of Romelu Lukaku continuing his tenure at Roma appear to be on shaky grounds due to the staggering costs of the operation. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the operation would amount to around £80 million, which, in the current economic climate, is a serious financial undertaking for the Italian club. To justify the Belgian forward’s retention, Roma’s mandatory qualification for the Champions League – a move that would ensure a 45 to 50 million euro cash influx – is a non-negotiable condition. However, they can’t bank on the growth decree.

“The future of Roma’s attack would be the primary task for the incoming Sporting Director,” says the report. Lukaku’s departure referred to as ‘Goodbye Big Rom’, would leave two potential solutions on the table: an internal replacement and an external one.

The internal option is based around the Englishman, Tammy Abraham. Despite being under contract until 2026 and influencing the growth decree with his engagement, Roma is aware of the striker’s popularity in the English Premier League. Therefore, the club may opt to let go of him, and in such a scenario, find a new name for the attack.

The external solution, which depends on Abraham’s stay or departure, is currently pointing towards Paris, with pivotal focus on Hugo Ekitiké. The 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain striker who is expected to hit the market, would be a financially manageable acquisition. Currently valued at around 15 million, Ekitiké earns 1.2 million plus bonuses.