Chelsea could reportedly use Romelu Lukaku as a bargaining chip in a deal to re-sign Tammy Abraham from AS Roma, as Mauricio Pochettino looks to solve their goalscoring issues.
Having been deemed surplus to requirements to new manager Mauricio Pochettino, the Blues allowed Romelu Lukaku to leave in the summer and join AS Roma on loan. The big Belgian has made a blistering start to his time in the Italian capital, scoring three goals in four appearances, including the winner in Roma’s 2-1 victory over Sheriff Tiraspol in their Europa League opener. As a result, AS Roma boss Jose Mourinho is already believed to be considering signing the 30-year-old striker permanently from Chelsea.
According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato, AS Roma are planning a swap deal that will involve Lukaku joining the Serie A side permanently in exchange for Tammy Abraham.
Abraham, 25, was an instant hit in his debut season with the Giallorossi, scoring 27 goals in all competitions. However, the English striker slowed down in his second season and has been plagued by injury, managing just nine goals. The 25-year-old suffered an ACL tear on the final matchday of the 2022/23 campaign, meaning he is yet to feature for Mourinho’s side this season.
Roma set to propose Lukaku-Abraham swap deal—Should Chelsea accept it?
Chelsea have made a dismal start to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, currently languishing 14th in the table after their latest defeat to Aston Villa over the weekend, having managed just five goals from six games so far. And that comes despite spending millions on new players in the summer transfer window, including Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku.
Jackson has scored just once in six league games, while Nkunku is yet to feature this season after suffering a serious knee injury in pre season. Poor return in front of goal, coupled with a shaky defence, has left Pochettino’s side already 13 points behind league leaders Manchester City. By the looks of Chelsea’s current condition, they will be forced to enter the market in January and sign a striker to solve their glaring goalscoring problems.
Pochettino had Lukaku in his ranks but was not interested in involving the striker in his squad rebuild this season. Following a tumultuous transfer window that saw potential loan moves to Inter Milan and Juventus fall through, Lukaku was signed by Roma to provide cover for the injured Abraham. And the Belgian striker’s great start to life in Roma colours has only bolstered Chelsea’s hopes of getting the 30-year-old permanently off their books.
In return, the Blues are likely to get the opportunity to re-sign Tammy Abraham, who had scored 30 goals in 82 appearances and helped the club win the Champions League in 2020/21. The England international could become a quality option for Chelsea if he heals properly from the ACL tear and manages to regain the form that made him indispensable to Mourinho’s side in the 2021/22 season.
Pochettino has Jackson but the Senegalese needs more help in the attack. Armando Broja has just returned from a long injury layoff and cannot be expected to start delivering the goods consistently. In that regard, Abraham could prove to be a valuable acquisition for Chelsea at the end of the season.
