Wantaway Premier League star offered £20m deal after Newcastle owner’s move & Cristiano Ronaldo claim

Lukaku spent the 2022-23 season on loan from Chelsea at Inter Milan and is understood to be looking to secure a permanent move away from Stamford Bridge this summer. While the Belgian international’s preference would be to return to Inter, Al Hilal have tabled a deal worth up to £20million.

Chelsea bought Lukaku from Inter Milan for just shy of £100million in 2021 before loaning him back after just one season. As the 30-year-old seeks an escape route from Chelsea, The Guardian reported earlier this week that the player met Al Hilal officials on Monday to discuss a potential Pro League switch.

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has also held talks with Al Hilal in an attempt to trim the fat from his bloated Blues squad.

And Saudi Pro League clubs certainly aren’t messing around this summer following a four-team takeover by Newcastle United owners PIF.

PIF now own a 75% stake in Al Ahli, Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad as well as an 80% stake in Newcastle following a takeover in October 2021.

Following the acquisition, a PIF statement read: “The transfer of the four clubs will unleash various commercial opportunities, including investment, partnership and sponsorships across numerous sports.”

Since then, PIF-owned club Al Ittihad have signed Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema on a three-year contract worth £258million. N’Golo Kante is also set to sign an £86million-per-season deal at Al Ittihad once his contract expires at Chelsea.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January following his release from Manchester United on a world record deal worth a reported £175million-a-year. And the Portuguese icon claims his move opened the door for many more top players to follow.

“I knew that me going to Saudi Arabia would open a box and I wasn’t wrong,” he said.

“I’m sure in a couple of years or three, this league is going to be one of the most important leagues in the world. We can see that already. Karim left [Real Madrid] already and I am 1000% sure that many more players will.”