Romelu Lukaku has opened the door to a Saudi Pro League move but also has interest from AC Milan, Napoli and from Jose Mourinho for a reunion with his former manager at Fenerbahce.
Lukaku will be allowed to leave Chelsea for around £37 million this summer after spending the last two years away from Stamford Bridge on loan at Inter Milan and with Mourinho at Roma.
He turned down a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal last summer and says that while there is infrastructure work to be done, he is clear that “Saudi Arabia is coming”.
In an interview with Belgian broadcasters VTM, he also declared Antonio Conte as the best coach he has worked with. Conte has just taken charge at Napoli and may need a striker should Victor Osimhen depart.
At Milan, Paulo Fonseca has been appointed and has earmarked Lukaku as a target as Olivier Giroud has left the club for LAFC in America. Mourinho has a striker on his wanted list after arriving in Turkey at the weekend, while the Saudi Pro League are still trying to sign Europe’s biggest names.
“Saudi Arabia wouldn’t stop me. The level will only increase,” said Lukaku to VTM. “To a much higher level than many people think. More and more football players will tend to play there. Also because of how the fans there experience football. The infrastructure still needs to be improved, but all major European top clubs know, ‘Saudi Arabia is coming’. You already see that in boxing, golf, Formula 1…”
Speaking of his proposed move to Al-Hilal last summer, he added: “That was really intense at the time. For two weeks. For two days in a row I thought, ‘Yes, I’m going’, ‘No, I’m not going’.”
Doubts arose because Lukaku at the time was still guessing about the level and circumstances in Saudi Arabia. “Because everyone only went to Saudi Arabia after I could sign there, I was scared for a moment.”
