Arsenal set for Tammy Abraham transfer blow

Roma Agree Fee for Tammy Abraham on Initial Loan Move

Jose Mourinho’s Roma, who didn’t want to up their £13m bid for Granit Xhaka, have agreed a fee with Chelsea to sign Tammy Abraham on an initial loan move with an option to buy.

The news comes via Gianluca Di Marzio and UK-based Sky Sports, with some interesting differences in the structures of the deal. Di Marzio states it will be a €5m loan fee with an option to buy for €35m at the end of the season that would be staggered, meanwhile Sky state it’s a £34m fee agreed outright. The latter could just be totalling up.

Thus, if Arteta is serious about bringing in Abraham, he’ll have to act. As per Corriere dello Sport there has been contract from Arsenal with the 23-year-old’s agent, but with Chelsea preferring to move him on abroad so as not to strengthen a rival (that’s being kind), Italy is an option.

However, the striker is yet to agree to the move. All indications are that his preference is to stay in England and given his outspoken support of Arsenal, if a deal could be struck then he would jump at the opportunity to move north.

As is still the case, nothing happens without Lacazette movement.

There could be some 3D chess at play if Arsenal convince Abraham to move to north London and then offer Lacazette over to Roma, who’ve held previous interest, but given the Italian side moved on from Xhaka due to his age and wage demands there is little reason to think they won’t do likewise on this occasion.

It’d be a long shot.

Whatever the case, the interest in Abraham from Arsenal is serious so it wouldn’t be any major surprise for the Chelsea forward to be sitting on his hands and waiting for the inevitable Lacazette exit rumours to crop up. Some Gunners fans may be doing likewise.