One would think that Chelsea are done with the summer transfer business for 2023, given how much they have have splashed the cash this window. Simply put, Stamford Bridge have been active, either buying or selling, all summer long, and they spent more in a single window, over £350m, than any other club in history.
With that in mind, don’t rule out more signings over the course of these final few days. Currently, their ambitions focus on an additional center forward option.
Christopher Nkunku, signed in the winter to move over this summer, is out injured. Nicolas Jackson, who they signed this summer, has been impressive, despite not scoring yet. Brennan Johnson, of Nottingham Forest, has been linked.
But according to The Telegraph (h/t football.london), Tottenham are set to beat Chelsea to the signing of Johnson, although other reports state that Brentford could be leading the way in this transfer market London derby.
Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino has officially confirmed that his side wants to sign another attacking player before deadline day on Friday, but they’ll have to consider other alternatives.
One center forward Chelsea still have on the roster, but are desperate to offload, is £97.5m flop Romelu Lukaku. The big Belgian, arguably the worst signing in club history, turned down a move to the Saudi Pro League.
He also ghosted potential suitors this summer (is that hard to answer your phone?) which made Inter Milan go from very interested to now wanting nothing to do with him.
He drove away Juventus too, meaning he was no one to blame but himself for the mess that has come of his career. He’s even difficult to simply jettison, at this point.
He might finally have a lifeline though with AS Roma, who have agreed to pay £8m to take Big Rom out on loan for a year, with no obligation for Roma to make the deal permanent.
A reunion with Jose Mourinho awaits, provided he passes his medical and signs the final paperwork.
According to The Guardian, Roma will also cover Lukaku’s salary this season, which will cost them €7.5m over 10 months.
Of course, Lukaku has been flaky and distant this summer, so to make sure this gets over the line, Roma’s billionaire owner, Dan Friedkin, will fly Lukaku from London to Rome tomorrow.
And he’ll do more than just charter a private flight, he’ll actually pilot the plane himself! You got to love all the plot twists with the Lukaku transfer drama this summer.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.