Saudi Arabia’s €129m offer for Chelsea star

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 11 Jul 2023 08:08 BST
• 3 min read

Al-Hilal have offered Romelu Lukaku a £70.3M package over 3 years. They still hope to convince him to come. As it stands, the Saudi club are the only team willing to pay Chelsea's £40m asking price. Lukaku’s preference is to stay in Europe but he is considering his options.

Al Hilal have presented an astronomical offer to Romelu Lukaku in a bid to convince him to forget about a return to Inter Milan and move to the Saudi Pro League.

That is according to respected transfer journalist Sacha Tovalieri, who reports that Al Hilal have offered Lukaku a three-year contract worth €82 million in wages.

READ MORE: Premier League 2023/24 summer transfers: All the Done Deals

In addition to that, Al Hilal are prepared to pay Chelsea’s asking price of €47m (£40m).

That takes the total outlay to an incredible €128m for a player who is already 30.

It is widely acknowledged that Lukaku is only interested in returning to Inter Milan once again from parent club Chelsea.

READ MORE: Saudi Pro League summer transfers 2023: All the Done Deals

So far, though, Inter have been unable to get close to the transfer fee Chelsea are demanding.

Juventus are also reported to be interested in Lukaku but that move seems frankly unlikely.

Will Lukaku return to Inter again?

Lukaku returned to Inter last summer on a one-year loan from Chelsea.

The 30-year-old has now returned to Stamford Bridge but Inter are trying to re-sign him again, this time permanently.

Until the last few months of the past season, Inter were unwilling to keep Lukaku as he endured a dismal first two thirds of the campaign plagued by injuries and poor performances.

But Lukaku has been reborn since the March international break and had been in fantastic form going into the Champions League final - scoring nine goals in April and May.

That changed Inter’s mind and they now want to keep him.

Lukaku came on as a substitute in Inter’s 1-0 defeat to Man City in the Champions League final in Istanbul. The ex-Man Utd striker missed a big chance to equalise in the closing minutes.

Read more about: Serie A, Premier League, Professional League, Al-Hilal, Chelsea, Inter, Romelu Lukaku