‘Lukaku to join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia’

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 21 Mar 2023 12:45 GMT
• 3 min read

Romelu Lukaku could join Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia next season, according to Football Insider.

Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr on a free transfer in January after his contract at Man Utd was rescinded in November.

And the Saudi Professional League could welcome another big name star next campaign.

READ MORE: European Golden Shoe 2022/23

Football Insider confirms reports from Italy that neither Chelsea nor Inter Milan want Lukaku at their clubs next season.

Given Lukaku’s astronomical salary and poor form over the last two years, no European clubs are willing to take the 29-year-old on.

This means that Saudi Arabian clubs, who can afford Lukaku’s salary, are considering moving for the Belgian.

Lukaku returned to Inter on a one-season loan last summer from Chelsea, but has struggled horribly with his fitness and form.

He has played just 907 minutes of club football this season, starting nine games. He has scored only three goals this campaign in Serie A.

When Lukaku has played, his performance level has been well short of what is expected.

He also went into the World Cup unfit, scoring no goals and missing a host of big chances in the 0-0 draw with Croatia which eliminated Belgium from the group stages.

Lukaku struggles since Chelsea move

The 29-year-old rejoined Chelsea from Inter in a €115 million transfer in the summer of 2021.

However, he endured a disastrous season, scoring just eight goals and falling out publicly with manager Thomas Tuchel.

His fitness also started to decline and he missed more games for Chelsea in a six-week spell before Christmas 2021 than he did in his entire two-year first spell at Inter.

Lukaku hoped to reignite his career by returning to the team where he played the best club football of his career.

However, so far it has not worked out for the Belgian.

Lukaku struggled again on Sunday as Inter lost 1-0 at home to Juventus.