Chelsea duo tipped to move to Saudi Arabia as mass exodus under Mauricio Pochettino continues: Reports
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Hakim Ziyech could become the latest Chelsea players to move to Saudi Arabia this summer.
Mauricio Pochettino's outfit have been busy overhauling their squad since the 2022-23 season ended. They have sold the likes of Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, and Mateo Kovacic to Premier League rivals Manchester United, Arsenal, and Manchester City, respectively.
Additionally, the Blues have seen a slew of players leave the club and move to the Middle East. Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy have been sold to Saudi Pro League clubs while N'Golo Kante also followed them on a free transfer.
Aubameyang and Ziyech could follow the trio to the Asian nation, according to the Telegraph.
Ziyech was previously expected to join Al Nassr. However, the deal collapsed at the last minute due to an apparent issue with his knee. The move could now be revived as Al Nassr are said to be confident of adding the Morocco international to the squad.
Aubameyang, meanwhile, is expected to bolster Al Ettifaq's squad, where Steven Gerrard has recently been appointed as the manager.
Ziyech has struggled to make a mark at Chelsea since joining them from Ajax in a reported €40 million transfer in 2020. He has since made 107 appearances for the west London club, scoring 14 goals and registering 13 assists.
Similarly, Aubameyang has struggled to establish himself since joining the club from Barcelona one year ago in a €12 million deal. In his 21 appearances for the cub, he has managed to score just three goals and pick up one assist.
Romelu Lukaku prepared to take wage cut to facilitate a move away from Chelsea: Reports
Another attacker who has failed to make an impact at Chelsea is Romelu Lukaku, who joined them for a whopping £97.5 million fee from Inter Milan in 2021.
Lukaku failed to live up to expectations, scoring just 15 times in 44 games across competitions in 2021-22. Additionally, an interview with Sky Italia where he criticized the-then manager Thomas Tuchel saw him get removed from first-team plans at the club.
The Belgium international spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Inter Milan, where he scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 37 appearances.
With the Blues reluctant to sanction another loan move, Inter are looking to sign him on a permanent transfer, though financial troubles have slowed down the process. To facilitate the move, Lukaku is said to be prepared to give up around £1 million a year in salary, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Serie A rivals Juventus and Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal are said to be interested in securing his services should he fail to seal a move back to the Nerazzurri.