Milan: Romelu Lukaku completed his season-long loan move to Roma from Chelsea on Wednesday after being welcomed as a hero by supporters.
Roma are yet to make their official announcement but Serie A have confirmed that the deal is done on their list of completed transfers.
Thousands of fans greeted Belgium striker Lukaku after he touched down at Ciampino airport just outside the Italian capital on Tuesday, his arrival a boost for Roma following a worrying start to the new Serie A season.
Italian media report that Chelsea accepted Roma’s offer of around €6 million ($6.5 million) to take outcast Lukaku for this season, giving the Italians the striker they have been looking for since Tammy Abraham damaged knee ligaments at the end of last season.
Lukaku has agreed to take a pay cut from nearly €11 million to around €7.5 million in order to move to Roma, who are operating under a Financial Fair Play settlement agreement made with Uefa.
Roma have collected one point from their first two matches and their inability to convert dominance into goals was fully on display during Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Verona.
Chelsea meanwhile have been trying to permanently offload Lukaku all summer in a bid to end a disastrous transfer which cost the Premier League club a €115 million purchase fee from Inter Milan and his whopping annual salary.
But talks with Inter — where he was loaned back to last season — collapsed reportedly after the club discovered he had been secretly talking to their biggest rivals Juve and AC Milan.
Instead he has been reunited with his former coach at Manchester United Jose Mourinho as the capital club try to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2018.
City ‘reach agreement’ to sign Nunes
Manchester City have reached a verbal agreement with Wolves on a fee for Portugal midfielder Matheus Nunes, according to reports on Wednesday.
It is understood the Premier League champions have agreed to pay Wolves £47 million ($60 million) without add-ons but the deal has not yet been finalised.
In a separate deal, City’s 21-year-old midfielder Tommy Doyle will join Wolves on loan with an option to buy.
City had a previous bid for Nunes rejected, with the 25-year-old subsequently choosing not to train with Wolves in a bid to force through a move in the final days of the transfer window.
Speaking after Tuesday’s 5-0 League Cup win over Blackpool, Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said he was unaware of any improved bid from City and expected the player to remain at the club beyond Friday’s deadline, but that situation has quickly changed.
Nunes became the Premier League club’s then record signing when he joined from Sporting Lisbon for an initial £38 million last year.
He made 34 top-flight appearances last season, scoring one goal.
Balogun joins Monaco from Arsenal
AS Monaco have signed United States striker Folarin Balogun from Premier League side Arsenal on a five-year deal, both clubs said on Wednesday.
The financial details were not disclosed, but British media reported that the deal was worth around €40 million ($43.71 million).
Balogun, 22, joined Arsenal at the age of eight but made only 10 appearances for the north London outfit before moving on loan to Championship side Middlesbrough and Ligue 1 club Stade de Reims in January and August 2022, respectively.
He had a breakout season at Reims, scoring 22 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions. Balogun was linked with a move to several European clubs before deciding on Monaco as his next destination.
Balogun, who was born in Brooklyn, New York but raised in England, switched his international allegiance from England to the United States in May.
Ajax sign Metz forward Mikautadze
Ajax have signed Georgia striker Georges Mikautadze from French club Metz in a deal worth €16 million ($17.4 million), the Dutch club announced on Wednesday.
French-born Mikautadze, 22, has agreed a five-year contract in the Dutch capital after playing a pivotal role in Metz’s promotion to Ligue 1 promotion last season.
“I’m very proud,” Mikautadze said in a video on Ajax’s website.
“Everybody knows what the name Ajax means in football.
“I did not hesitate for a second to come to the club,” he added.
He started his professional career with Metz in 2019, before joining Belgian side Seraing on loan.
He returned to Metz in 2022 where he became their top scorer with 23 goals in 37 appearances before the club’s promotion to the French top-flight.
Mikautadze has scored twice in Metz’s first three games in Ligue 1 this term as well as providing one assist.
Ajax have signed a raft of young talent after finishing third in the table last season, their worst finish for 14 years.
They have included Manchester City winger Carlos Borges, who inked a €14 million contract earlier this month, and Dynamo Zagreb defender Josip Sutalo who moved in a €20-million deal.
Varane ruled out for ‘a few weeks’
Raphael Varane has been ruled out for “a few weeks” as Manchester United’s injury issues pile up ahead of their Premier League trip to Arsenal.
Erik ten Hag’s side head to north London on Sunday without several players for their final match before the international break.
Luke Shaw and Mason Mount are currently out of action, while new signing Rasmus Hojlund has yet to make his debut due to a back complaint.
Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Tom Heaton have missed the start of the campaign and now experienced French defender Varane faces a spell on the sidelines.
“Raphael Varane will be missing from the team when Manchester United face Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday due to injury,” the club said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The France international came off at half-time in our 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday due to the complaint, which is expected to keep him out for a few weeks.”
The 30-year-old has dealt with a number of injuries since moving to Old Trafford in 2021 and, having retired from the France set-up in February, will have the international break to work towards his return. Manchester United are eighth in the Premier League table after two wins and a defeat in their opening three matches.
Frankfurt’s Muani skips training to force PSG move
French international forward Randal Kolo Muani skipped training with Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday morning, as he continues to try to force a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
The German club on Wednesday confirmed Kolo Muani, 24, had chosen to miss the training session due to “his desire to be transferred to another club before the transfer window ends on Friday evening.”
The club confirmed Kolo Muani would not play in Thursday’s Europa Conference League qualifier at home to Levski Sofia. The away tie in Bulgaria finished 1-1, with Kolo Muani scoring Frankfurt’s goal.
Frankfurt sporting director Markus Kroesche said in a statement “we know Randal differently and know his real character”, saying “the behaviour has no influence on transfer activities.”
The forward’s contract in Frankfurt runs until 2027. Frankfurt are reportedly holding out for a bid of €100 million ($108 million) from PSG for the forward.
Kolo Muani moved to Germany from Ligue 1 side Nantes on a free transfer in 2022 and had a breakout season in Frankfurt, scoring 23 goals and making 17 assists in 46 games.
The forward, who played in France’s World Cup final defeat to Argentina in December, told Sky Germany on Tuesday: “I would like to switch to Paris and I have told those responsible.”
Brighton sign Baleba from Lille
Brighton & Hove Albion have signed Cameroonian midfielder Carlos Baleba from French side Lille on a five-year contract, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
They did not disclose the transfer fee, but British media reported that Brighton would pay Ligue 1 side Lille around £25 million ($31.64 million) for the 19-year-old.
Having sold Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea earlier in the transfer window, Brighton were in the market for reinforcements in central midfield.
“Carlos is a very good player. He’s very young but a specific player for our style. He will be the future of the club,” head coach Roberto De Zerbi said.
Baleba moved to Lille in January 2022. Brighton will host Newcastle United on Saturday in the Premier League.
Haaland wins PFA Player of the Year award
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland was named the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old was voted ahead of team mates Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones, as well as Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and former Tottenham player Harry Kane, who is now with Bayern Munich.
Haaland’s remarkable performance saw him netting 52 goals in 53 matches across all competitions last season, contributing to City’s triple victory as they clinched the Premier League, FA Cup, and the Champions League titles.
The Norway international also achieved recognition in May, being awarded the titles of Premier League’s Player of the Season and Football Writers’ Association’s Men’s Player of the Year.
Saka was named the PFA Young Player of the Year for the first time after receiving a nomination for the fourth season in a row.
Aston Villa striker Rachel Daly secured the PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year award after finishing as the top scorer in the Women’s Super League with 22 goals.
Chelsea’s Lauren James was named as the Young Player of the Year.
Arsenal sign Codina from Barcelona
Arsenal have signed Spain’s World Cup-winning defender Laia Codina from Barcelona, the Women’s Super League (WSL) club said on Tuesday.
Codina, 23, started all four of Spain’s knockout games at the World Cup that ended in a 1-0 win over England in the final earlier this month.
The centre back has seven caps for Spain and made 32 appearances for Barcelona, winning two Champions League trophies and three LaLiga titles since joining in 2019. She also spent the 2021-22 season on loan at AC Milan and played 14 times.
“Laia is a world-class defender and I’m delighted to be working with her here at Arsenal,” coach Jonas Eidevall said.
“She has a great mix of technical ability and physical presence and we believe this will allow her to adapt to our style here quickly.
“She has considerable experience of playing at the highest level and winning trophies, so I’m confident that she will be an excellent addition to our squad moving forward.” Arsenal, who finished third in the league last year, begin their new campaign at home to Liverpool on October 1.
