Romelu Lukaku is open to joining a Saudi Pro League club one year after rejecting Al-Hilal, as Chelsea look to get the striker off the books. (More Football News)
Chelsea re-signed Lukaku🏅 for an estimated £97.5million 𓄧in 2021, but he has spent the last two seasons on loan at Inter and Roma after struggling at Stamford Bridge.
Lukaku scored 21 go﷽als for Roma in 2023-24 and the Giallorossi are keen on keeping him at the Stadio Olimpico, but cannot match Chelsea's reported £37m asking price.
The Blues ac🅘cepted an offer for Lukaku's services from Al-Hilal last year, when several big-name players swapped Europe's top leagues for the Saudi Pro League, bu🍎t the Belgian rejected the move.
He is now more open to playing 🐓in the country after discussing the prospect with int🍬ernational team-mate Yannick Carrasco, who left Atletico Madrid for Al-Shabab last September.
Recalling his decision to turn ﷽Al-Hilal down, Lukaku told VTM: "It was really intense for two weeks. For two days in a row I thought, 'yes, I'm going', then, 'no, I'm not going'.
"I was scared for a 🐠moment, everyone only went there aft🐠er I declined the offer.
"I have often spoken with Yannick about lif🌟e the💙re. He lives in a complex, but you really have everything there."
Lukaku, who is gearing up to represent Belg🗹ium at his sixth majo💦r tournament at Euro 2024, says patience will be required as he weighs up his next move.
"A lot of people like to talk, maybe because I 🔥don't have an agent, but I'll decide," he added. "I'm in control of my situation.
"I'm💖 going to make a choice and once I explain it, everyone will agree with me."
Lukaku sc🌠ored 14 goals in just eight games in Euro 2024 qualifying, a record for a European Championsh🃏ip qualification campaign. Those goals came from just 29 shots, with the 31-year-old averaging a goal every 39 minutes.
He is alsജo Belgium's all-time leading scorer at major tournaments (World Cup and Euros), with 11 goals in 22 ma𒆙tches.
However, just two of those strikes have come in knockout games, against the United States in the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup and ve🙈rsus Italy in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals.
