Updated at 18.49

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 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 that 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.

Meanwhile, Folarin Balogun has left Arsenal to join Ligue 1 club Monaco on a five-year deal after impressing on loan at Reims last season, the two clubs announced on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old has not played for the Gunners in a competitive match since netting 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances for Reims last term.

According to a source at the principality club, Monaco paid an initial transfer fee of €30 million which could rise to €40 million.

Balogun will undergo a medical before being presented to the press on Thursday.

Despite scoring seven goals in 13 appearances for England’s U21 team, the New York-born Balogun switched international allegiance to the United States.

He netted his first international goal in the USA’s CONCACAF Nations League final victory over Canada in June.

Balogun came through Arsenal’s academy but only played 10 matches in all competitions for the club.

“We thank Folarin for his contribution to Arsenal, through our academy into the first team, and wish him the best of health and happiness in his new chapter at Monaco,” an Arsenal statement said.

Monaco lead the early Ligue 1 table with seven points after scoring 10 goals across their first three games.

– © AFP 2023