£75m Man Utd signing completes loan move to Serie A as he reunites with former Red Devils boss

Former Manchester United forward Romelu Lukaku has left the Red Devils’ Premier League rivals Chelsea to join Serie A side AS Roma on a season-long loan.

The 30-year-old spent last campaign on loan with Italian side Inter Milan as they reached the Champions League final, which they lost 1-0 to Manchester City.

Lukaku worked with Roma boss Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, with te Portuguese manager signing him from Everton in 2017 for £75m. He left Old Trafford in 2019 to join Inter in a deal worth £74m but returned to the Premier League with Chelsea for £97.5m in the summer of 2021.

He has not played for the Blues since May 2022 and has reportedly accepted a pay cut to make the move to the Italian capital.

A blunt statement from Chelsea read: “Lukaku has completed a season-long loan move to Serie A club AS Roma. The Belgium international, who joined Chelsea in the summer of 2021, spent the previous campaign on loan at Inter Milan.

“Lukaku will link up in the Italian capital with former Chelsea head coach Jose Mourinho, who guided Roma to the Europa League final last season.”

Mourinho was sacked by United in December 2018, with Lukaku following him out the door at Old Trafford six months later. The former Chelsea and Real Madrid coach feels he knows how to get the best out of the former £75m United signing.

He told The Times last year: “At Inter he became the top man. He became loved - a big love from the supporters, love from team-mates, great relations with the coach. He’s a big guy, physically so strong, but there is also a kid inside who needs that love, needs that support, needs to feel important.”

Roma’s general manager of the sports area Tiago Pinto said of Lukaku’s arrival: “Knowing that Lukaku has chosen Roma can only represent a source of great satisfaction for all of us. With his arrival we acquire further experience, professionalism and desire to win.

“All our choices are always aimed at raising Roma’s level of competitiveness. Seeing the fans welcome Romelu with that enthusiasm makes us really proud.”