Romelu Lukaku Ready for a Move to Saudi Arabia

Romelu Lukaku, the Chelsea forward, has expressed his willingness to consider playing in Saudi Arabia. This comes a year after he declined a transfer to Al Hilal.

Chelsea is prepared to let Lukaku go for approximately £37 million this summer. He has spent the past two years on loan, first at Inter Milan and then with Mourinho at Roma.

Last summer, Lukaku rejected a move to Al-Hilal, a club in Saudi Arabia. Despite acknowledging that there’s infrastructure development needed, he firmly believes that “Saudi Arabia is on the rise”.

In a conversation with Belgian broadcasters VTM, Lukaku discussed the potential of a summer move. He stated that while many people have opinions, he is the one who will make the final decision. He emphasized that he is in control of his situation.

Lukaku is confident that once he explains his choice, everyone will understand. He pointed out that his past decisions to stay or leave have always been right, often influenced by his relationship with the coach. He compared it to a romantic relationship, implying that if the connection is no longer there, it’s better to part ways.

Lukaku expressed to VTM that Saudi Arabia wouldn’t deter him. He believes the level of football there will rise significantly, contrary to what many might think. He predicts that more footballers will be drawn to play there due to the passionate football fans. He acknowledged that while the infrastructure needs improvement, all major European clubs are aware that “Saudi Arabia is on the rise”. He noted that this is already evident in sports like boxing, golf, and Formula 1.

Reflecting on his potential move to Al-Hilal last summer, Lukaku described the experience as intense. He recalled spending two weeks oscillating between going and not going.

Lukaku, who earns around £325,000 a week ($415,419) at Stamford Bridge, is seen by Chelsea as a way to reduce their wage bill and generate funds for new signings.

The Belgian international has two years left on his Chelsea contract. The club is hesitant to approve a third loan move as they aim to recover some of the £97.5m they paid Inter Milan in 2021.