TRANSFERS: LUKAKU TO MANCHESTER UNITED AT £75 MILLION
By Brian Akampwera
Mknewslink.com has learnt that Manchester United have agreed to sign Everton striker Romelu Lukaku for £75 million while reportedly ending their interest in Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata.
The Europa League winners have swooped to tee up a transfer for the long-time Chelsea target and have ended their interest in the ex-Juventus man Lukaku had seemed destined to move to Chelsea this summer but United have swooped after the Blues struggled to make headway on a deal.
United boss Jose Mourinho is hopeful that the transfer of Lukaku will be completed in time for the Belgian to fly out with the firstteam squad for the summer tour of the USA on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Reds have reportedly pulled out of negotiations with Real Madrid for 24- year-old Morata.
They had reached favorable terms with the player’s advisers but Goal reported on Wednesday that United’s final €80m offer had been rejected by the European champions, who value Morata at €90m.
Lukaku will be reunited with his former Chelsea boss Mourinho if the transfer is completed, although the 24-year-old only played three games under the Portuguese in 2013-14 before being sent on a season-long loan to Everton. He was then sold to the Toffees the following summer for £28m.
United have already added Benfica defender Victor Lindel to their squad this summer but Lukaku’s signing for the second-largest fee in the club’s history would be their most high-profile move yet in 2017.