Chelsea get mixed Saudi Pro League transfer news over Lukaku and Colwill - Romano

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 Jun 2023 13:28 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea’s summer transfer window is set to be conditioned by the actions of the Saudi Pro League, with owner Todd Boehly using the big-spending division as an outlet to offload some of his excess stars.

After a campaign that saw the Blues flop in the Premier League, an overhaul of the squad is required once more, and with European suitors unwilling or unable to foot the bill for Chelsea’s ailing players, Boehly has turned towards Saudi Arabia as a solution to his problems.

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N’Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech are all set to depart for the Saudi Pro League, which already boasts Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema among its number.

Beyond that pair, though, the deals that Chelsea are doing with the Gulf state are set to be pivotal in their transfer plans.

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Cowill closer to Chelsea stay?

The Saudi Pro League, for example, has emerged as one possible source that could allow the Stamford Bridge side to offload Romelu Lukaku this summer after a difficult couple of seasons.

This possibility, however, appears to be scant. According to Fabrizio Romano, Lukaku has turned down the chance to go to Saudi Arabia because he wants to continue his career in Europe. Inter look the best bet in this regard but may not be able to afford him.

Lukaku’s case is a complicated one for Chelsea because they want him off their books this summer after a failed €115 million transfer from Inter in 2021.

Chelsea, though, are set to have more success in the case of Koulibaly, who looks destined to leave for the Saudi Pro League.

This is a crucial deal for Mauricio Pochettino’s side because, according to Romano, they believe that by offloading the former Napoli defender, it could persuade Levi Colwill to remain at the club after a successful loan period with Brighton.

Colwill has hinted that he wants to remain with the Seagulls, who are ready to pay a club record fee to retain the 20-year-old. Chelsea, though, want to keep the centre-back and see the Koulibaly deal as one potential way of doing that.