Romelu Lukaku voiced his admiration for the Saudi Pro League following an oddly scheduled midweek friendly against Al Shabab. He passed on the opportunity to move there last summer. His statements and uncertain Roma future fuel speculations ahead of the summer, La Gazzetta dello Sport relays.
The striker declared.
“The Saudi Pro League will become one of the best championships in the world, if not the best, in the next two years. They have made big efforts to bring top players here.”
Lukaku was targeted in particular by Al-Hilal during the Juventus saga. Roma eventually obtained him on loan from Chelsea late in the window once the deal involving Dusan Vlahovic fell apart.
The Giallorossi face an uphill climb to sign him permanently. Considering the fee and a prospective three-year contract, it’d take an €80M investment. The club would have to spend more than anticipated in the past due to the suppression of the ‘Decreto Crescita,’ which decreased the taxes on wages.
The capital club would have a better shot at retaining him if they qualified for the Champions League. The competition would net them €40/45M more than the second-tier one.
Our Take on Lukaku and Saudi Arabia
Crazier things have happened, but, given the figures, he’s likely to be a one-and-done in Rome. However, they have a lot of balls in the air since they have yet to hire a new director.
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