According to Fabrizio Romano, multiple Chelsea stars are set to move to Saudi Arabian clubs in the coming days.
Édouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Hakim Ziyech, and N’Golo Kanté are the players expected to depart London for a move to the Gulf state- where they will join four different Saudi clubs respectively, all of which are majority owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF)- who also own a majority stake in Newcastle United.
Kanté, who’s contract expires this month, is believed to have signed a three year contract -with an option for a fourth- worth €25m per season with Saudi Pro-League champions Al-Ittihad. The deal will see the 32-year-old midfielder join compatriot Karim Benzema at Nuno Espírito Santo’s side- who signed on a lucrative contract from Real Madrid just last week.
As for the other three departures, Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly is set to join Al-Hilal, having signed for The Blues on a four-year contract for €38m just last year, according to Transfermarkt. Meanwhile, Ziyech and Mendy are expected to sign for Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli respectively.
The Moroccan signed for for €40m from Ajax in 2020 and will now join Cristiano Ronaldo’s side after a move to Ligue 1 champions PSG fell through at the final hurdle in January, whilst the 32-year-old goalkeeper will depart with incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino understood to prefer either a new No.1 or Kepa Arrizabalaga as his first-choice next season.
These four were not the only Chelsea stars to recieve offers from Saudi clubs, with Romano also reporting that Belgian international Romelu Lukaku has also been approached, but decided that he is not ready to leave European football next season. The 30-year-old striker moved to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan for a fee of around €115m in 2021, and, having been sent back to his former side on loan just one year later in 2022, is now said to priortize playing at the Italian side next season- with the two clubs undertsood to have met one another to discuss his future.
Travis Levison | Get Football
