Manchester United hold the edge over the likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid and Juventus in the race to sign Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, as per reports.
According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Manchester United have a huge advantage in the race to sign Romelu Lukaku from Everton in the summer. The likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid and Juventus are also reportedly in pursuit of the Belgian striker.
Lukaku has made a name for himself as one of the most prolific strikers in England ever since leaving Anderlecht in 2011. The move to Everton from Chelsea has only seen the 23-year-old make more steady progress in his fledgling career.
In all, Lukaku has scored 81 goals in 156 appearances at Goodison Park – impressive numbers for a player who is all of 23. And 2016/17 has seen the Belgian international improve by leaps and bounds, as he has romped to the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts with 19 goals in addition to 5 assists.
His stellar form has seen him being linked with a summer move to several top clubs across Europe in recent months. That, coupled with reports that the player is in disagreement with Everton over a new contract have now seen Chelsea, Real Madrid and Juventus have been heavily linked with him.
Diego Costa’s future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain, with reports claiming that Chelsea are ready to offload the Spain hitman in favour of more long-term options. Lukaku, with his track record and Premier League experience could just be the perfect replacement for Costa in West London.
Meanwhile, at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema and Alvaro Morata are being linked with moves away from Santiago Bernabeu, owing to various reasons. With a place potentially up for grabs within the Los Blancos squad, Lukaku could just be the top class striker Zinedine Zidane is looking for.
Massimiliano Allegri does have a prolific striker in Gonzalo Higuain, along with Mario Mandzukic as his backup at Juventus. But, with the Argentinean striker turning 30 this year, the recruitment of Lukaku could give the Bianconeri a long-term attacking solution.
However, reports have stated that Chelsea are the front runners to sign Lukaku, should he move from Everton in the summer. Or that was the case, until now. That is because Manchester United seem to hold an ace in the pack over other suitors, according to the report by the Mirror.
That advantage is Lukaku’s agent, Mino Raiola, who helped secure deals for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan last summer. Jose Mourinho also likes Lukaku, despite selling the youngster to Everton in 2014.
Indeed, securing the services of Lukaku will see him recruit a long-term replacement for Ibrahimovic, who has been so successful at Old Trafford this season. In fact, Lukaku, in tandem with young Marcus Rashford, could form one of the most potent strike forces in England for years to come.
So, the battle for Lukaku seems to be hotting up, and Manchester United seem to have secured a vital advantage to sign him come June. It now remains to be seen how things develop, with a summer exit from Goodison Park looming large.