Lukaku & Roma: Why the Chelsea anti-hero could not have made a better choice

COMMENT: Romelu Lukaku and AS Roma. In the end, the only choice was the most obvious. Indeed, given the club's culture and support, it could even turn out to be the best...

One anti-hero is reunited with another. And the fans could not be happier. For everything he's done these past three months. For everything that's been thrown at him. Lukaku - and to be fair, his management team - could not have chosen a better club to rebuild his career.

As we say, more than anyother club, the Giallorossi love their anti-hero. They loveJose Mourinho. No matter what UEFA throw at him. No matter what FIGC claims he does. No matter the barbs fired from the local press. Mourinho can always count on the Roma support. He may split opinion elsewhere. Even at Chelsea. But with Roma. For these fans. He can do no wrong.

And this is exactly what Lukaku can expect. The support, as they've done for Mourinho, will erect a Roman shield around their new centre-forward. The harsher the criticism, the stronger this protective wall will become. And they'll come at him from all angles. From Turin. From Milan. After his antics at the end of last season, so many will be waiting for Lukaku to fall.

But with this support, he knows (as Jose will have told him) anything is possible. As we say, Lukaku and those advising him could not have chosen better. Indeed, they couldn't have acted better. We're hearing money in the range of €5-7m. But whatever the final figure, Lukaku has taken a massive pay-cut on his Chelsea salary to make this move happen. It's a sacrifice that won't be lost on the Roma support.

So congratulations to Rom. And to Jose. Without the presence of Mourinho, this Roma deal was never getting off the ground. An idea. A phone call. And wheels were