FULL STORY: Chelsea have perfect solution to £97.5m headache with ‘discount’ swap deal on the table

Chelsea is anticipating a busy summer transfer window with a number of notable arrivals and departures.

Romelu Lukaku’s problems at Chelsea may be resolved this summer if they use him as a makeweight in a trade. When his loan stint at AS Roma ends at the end of the season, the striker has no intention of going back to Stamford Bridge, and he may now be given the opportunity to stay with the Serie A team.

In 2021, Lukaku signed a £97.5 million contract to join Chelsea from Inter Milan, but he was never able to live up to the high price tag. After rejoining the Blues, the striker made just 26 appearances and scored just eight goals, with his overall performances falling well short of expectations.

Since then, the Belgium international has had two loan stints in the Serie A, and he is currently making an impression at Roma’s Stadio Olimpico. The 30-year-old’s declaration that he does not want to return to Chelsea has given the Italian powerhouses confidence, and they have made it clear that they would like to keep him on past this summer.

In order to facilitate Lukaku’s departure this summer, the Blues are eager to recover a portion of the substantial sum they paid, but Roma is likely to find resistance to that. There is still one more option available, though, that might please both clubs.

Romelu Lukaku could leave Chelsea permanently this summer (Image: Getty)

A trade involving Lukaku and Tammy Abraham is reportedly still “on the table” and has not been ruled out by either party, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Roma believes that Lukaku’s £36 million price tag “doesn’t add up,” so they are prepared to “get a discount” on their top target if Abraham leaves the team in exchange for Lukaku.

Tammy Abraham could be set to return to Chelsea (Image: Getty)

The England international was playing brilliantly for the Serie A team the previous season, which sparked rumors that Chelsea might exercise the £68 million buy-back clause they had added to his contract when he was sold in 2021. However, those discussions came to a halt when he suffered a serious knee injury.

Given that Mauricio Pochettino is pressuring his team to search the market for offensive reinforcements, the Blues might be open to the idea of Abraham rejoining the team this summer. When the summer transfer window opens, Chelsea will be eager to sign at least one star striker, so the opportunity to sign a homegrown player without having to pay a hefty price could be very alluring.