Lukaku’s destination for 2024 transfer announced

Robin Bairner

14 Dec 2023 12:38 GMT
3 min read

Romelu Lukaku celebrates his first Roma goal against Empoli — © ProShots

Chelsea can look forward to offloading Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis in the summer, with the striker having reportedly struck up a deal to leave Stamford Bridge in 2024.

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Lukaku is currently on loan at Roma, having spent the previous campaign with Inter in Serie A.

Although Chelsea are struggling for goals, the Belgian international is not seen as a solution to their problems, despite netting 14 times for the Nerazzurri last term and having already struck 11 goals in 18 appearances for Jose Mourinho’s men this time around.

According to Italian journalist Fabio Santini, speaking on TV Play, Lukaku has performed a U-turn and has agreed to move to the Saudi Pro League.

“Lukaku? A return to Juventus is unlikely as he has already accepted an offer from Saudi Arabia,” Santini claims. “I’m telling Roma fans that at the end of the season, one thing is certain: Romelu will leave.”

© ProShots - Romelu Lukaku has performed a U-turn on Saudi Arabia, according to one report

Lukaku rejected Saudi in 2023

Lukaku had the opportunity to move to Saudi Arabia last summer, which was a chaotic period for him.

The 30-year-old managed to anger Inter by entering transfer negotiations with Juventus behind their backs, causing them to cease talks. Juve, meanwhile, were unable to agree a deal with Chelsea for the forward, leaving him in limbo.

The opportunity to move to the Saudi Pro League was, for a period, the only option on the table for Lukaku, but he stoically turned this down, insisting that he wanted to continue to prove himself in European football.

Lukaku has shone with Roma this season under Mourinho and has shown that he is still more than capable of leading the line for a major club in one of Europe’s big leagues, but it may be that a lucrative offer from the Gulf has finally caught his eye. There have certainly been rumours suggesting that there is still interest.

Neither Chelsea nor Lukaku has confirmed such an agreement, but this news will only heighten rumours that he is bound for a transfer to Saudi imminently.