AS Roma formalized the arrival of Iranian international Sardar Azmoun on Saturday and are negotiating, according to the Italian press, with Chelsea for the loan of Belgian international Romelu Lukaku.
Azmoun, 28, joined Roma from Bayer Leverkusen on a loan with an option to buy, the club coached by José Mourinho said.
The striker had been playing at Bayer Leverkusen since January 2022, but after a promising first six months, he failed to establish himself in the Bundesliga, which he leaves with a record of 53 matches and seven goals in all competitions.
“He’s a player we’ve been following for a long time,” insisted Tiago Pinto, general manager of AS Roma.
But Azmoun, who passed through Zenit Saint Petersburg among others, should not be Roma’s last attacking recruit, held in check at home by Salernitana (2-2) for his first match of the 2023-24 season.
Its American owner Dan Friedkin is currently in London to negotiate the arrival of Lukaku, in the form of a loan, reports in particular the Gazzetta dello Sport.
But the negotiations still stumble on the assumption of the salary of the Belgian international that Roma would like to share with Chelsea.
Lukaku, who spoke on the phone with Mourinho, does not enter into the plans of Maurizio Pochettino, the coach of the Blues.
The striker, signed by Chelsea in 2021 for 115 million euros, spent last season at Inter Milan on loan.
Even though he revived in Milan by scoring 14 goals and reaching the Champions League final, Lukaku did not want to stay there.
Juventus were in line to welcome him, as part of an exchange with Dusan Vlahovic but his supporters were against it.
If he joins Roma, Lukaku will be associated at the forefront of the attack with the Argentinian Paulo Dybala.
