Chelsea Transfer News: Chelsea to bid £68million to sign former striker Romelu Lukaku
Chelsea are ready to spill the cash to sign former striker Romelu Lukaku from Everton, according to The Mirror. The Toffees already rejected a massive £57million deal from the Blues on Saturday and are adamant that the value of their striker is far more than that.
Romelu Lukaku left Chelsea two seasons for £28million while the club were still under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho. Conte, however, sees the value in the Belgian and is willing to spend a mammoth £68million to bring him back to the Bridge.
Everton, meanwhile, value the former Anderlecht striker at £75 million and are unwilling to budge from that valuation to ensure even they have a chance to keep him at Goodison for another season at least.
According to the same report, Chelsea and Everton have been negotiating for Lukaku for almost two weeks now outlining the London club's interest in bringing him back. Lukaku scored 25 goals for the Toffees last season only behind Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy in the Premier League.
Chelsea's manager, Antonio Conte, has already signed a striker in Michy Batshuayi this season but is potentially faced to sign another one given Diego Costa's inability to commit to Chelsea this season. The Brazilian-born Spaniard is linked with a move back to former club Atletico Madrid but now with them having already signed Kevin Gameiro, he's in a state of limbo still calculating his future.
The West London were also said to be interested in signing Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata who rejoined his childhood club this summer from Juventus – with whom he spent the past two seasons. Madrid decided to activate the fixed buy-back clause in his contract and have decided to keep him for the season – as opposed to the reports that suggested that that club might sell him for a hefty profit.
£68million