A long-running transfer saga regarding Romelu Lukaku’s future continues to fill the headlines as he looks poised to return to Inter. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims the 30-year-old has effectively slammed the door shut for a potential switch to Saudi Arabia.
Lukaku moved back to Chelsea upon the expiry of his loan deal at Inter, but not to stay for long. The Premier League colossi are hellbent on cashing on their out-of-sorts frontman amid a mass clearout administered by new manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Chelsea have already offloaded several fringe players to Saudi Arabia as part of their bid to trim down a bloated squad. They’ve hoped Lukaku would follow the same path as N’Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, and Kalidou Koulibaly. All of them have left for the riches of the Saudi Pro League.
However, Lukaku seems unimpressed by the lure of petrodollars. He has, in fact, reiterated his desire to stay in Europe and continue to play at the top level. The Belgian’s stance narrows Chelsea’s options. Not many European clubs are excited about meeting the player’s significant transfer fee and lucrative wages.
Inter are one of them, though the club’s finances forbid any attempt at excessive spending. The Italians’ opening bid for Lukaku has already touched down on Chelsea’s deaf ears. That’s not to mention Juventus’ preparedness to spoil their plans by joining the race to sign the striker.
Whether it’s only an attempt to inflate the player’s price tag, they’ve made life difficult for Inter. But the player’s wish could be a decisive factor at the end of the day. And that’s what the Nerazzurri are hoping for.
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