Chelsea are about to seal their first transfer of the season as the club have reportedly reached an agreement with Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian will be moving to the Stamford Bridge from Everton for a fee which could exceed £80m according to reports. Chelsea have the knack of buying back their own players for a comparatively large fee and this time it is also the same.
Lukaku joined Everton in 2014 after failing to stamp his authority at the Stamford Bridge. The Toffees then paid a whopping £28m for the Belgian player who was yet to establish himself in the Premier League. But after three seasons at the Goodison Park, the Belgian has earned plaudits for his role at the Merseyside club and now he is regarded among the top strikers in Europe.
Jose Mourinho made a last ditch attempt to sign the player after he learned that Antoine Griezmann won’t be available as the French player pledged his future to Atletico Madrid. Everton turned down United’s bid which intensified the speculation more.
However, despite the initial preparation, Everton are holding to their demand of £100m for the Belgian attacker. After billionaire Farhad Moshiri’s takeover of the club, the Toffees are now in a position to negotiate and would not let him leave for a much lower fee. But Chelsea is confident that will have the luxury to bargain but they will have to whiff out at least £80m from the coffers.
Lukaku is now on a £80,000 a week and is set to get more than a double hike in his current wages. He already turned down a new contract at the club and it seems he has made his mind for a move to his former club. However, Lukaku’s move will leave a big question mark on Diego Costa’s future. The Spaniard striker was already a target for many Chinese clubs and Lukaku’s transfer might hasten that process.
There will be a few major concerns regarding Lukaku’s performance which Conte has to rectify. The big Belgian has not impressed against the top clubs at all and this could be a worrying matter for the Italian gaffer. At Chelsea, you have to be on the other side to score against the big clubs to take things in your hands.
Another thing is his playing style. He is not among the fastest forwards of the Premier League and Conte might have to tweak his plan a bit to enforce him to the starting lineup.
