Romelu Lukaku’s agent blames emergence of Saudi clubs for Chelsea striker's failure to secure permanent transfer

Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku's agent has blamed Saudi Arabian clubs for his client's inability to secure a permanent transfer this summer. The Belgian striker joined Serie A side AS Roma on loan after failing to find a permanent move.

Italian giants Juventus were reportedly interested in acquiring the former Inter Milan striker's services. However, the rumored swap deal with Serbia international Dusan Vlahovic going the other way did not materialize.

According to Lukaku's agent, the lucrative offers coming in from the Saudi Pro League are the result of Chelsea's unsatisfactory responses to the offers received for the striker. Al Ittihad recently submitted a whopping £150 million bid for Mohamed Salah but failed to land the Liverpool star.

Lukaku's agent said (via The Hard Tackle) about the influence from Saudi Arabia:

“And what the owners of Chelsea were looking for was above all to find a definitive solution, a transaction, a permanent transfer. And the real change that happened this summer was the arrival of Saudi clubs on the international transfer market."

“They have set the bar so high in terms of the transfer compensation offered to European clubs and in this case to Chelsea, that it has become very difficult for European clubs to line up and therefore on the one hand, you have a club that is not opposed to a transfer," he added.

Several European stars were let go following irresistible offers from Saudi Pro League clubs. Neymar cost Al-Hilal €90 million, while Wolverhampton Wanderers star Ruben Neves was priced at €55 million as he completed a move to the same side.

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A look at Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku's prior experience in Italy

Romelu Lukaku (via Getty Images)

Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku will spend the 2023-24 season on loan at AS Roma. The Belgium international has prior experience of playing in Serie A, having spent time with Inter Milan.

He joined the Nerazzurri from Manchester United in 2019 for a reported fee of €74 million. Despite departing for Stamford Bridge in 2021 in a €113 million deal, Lukaku returned to Inter for a season-long loan spell in the 2022-23 campaign.

During his time in Italy, he bagged 78 goals and 23 assists in 132 appearances across competitions. The striker managed to win the Serie A title with Inter in the 2020-21 season, scoring 24 league goals in that campaign.