Roma will cover the 30-year-old’s wages as part of the £8m loan fee.

Lukaku, who is not in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans at Chelsea, spent last season on loan at Inter Milan.

However, the forward was unhappy that he wasn’t started in the Champions League final by coach Simone Inzaghi.

Also interested in signing Lukaku, Juventus were unable to make the necessary changes.

While a few details still need to be finalized, the agreement for his return to Italy is essentially complete.

In a statement, a family source close to Roma owners the Friedkin family said the transfer demonstrated the family’s commitment to “achieve the glory the club and the fans deserve”.

Lukaku’s move to Roma will reunite him with Jose Mourinho, who convinced him to join Manchester United rather than Chelsea when he moved from Everton to Old Trafford in 2017.

In August 2021, Lukaku signed a five-year deal with Chelsea for £97.5m, but has struggled to establish himself and has been training away from the first team this season.

During his two spells with the Blues, he scored 15 goals.

Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton told Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club that when he is fit and conditioned he is a real handful.

At 30, he must prove himself again after a brilliant career.

In some ways, the Chelsea thing is baffling, in that he seems to have been frozen out, yet they are in need of strikers, yet they aren’t bringing him back.”