Everton sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea for a club record fee £28million
Romelu Lukaku has permanently taken up the blue of Everton in favour of the blue of Chelsea in a £28million move that saw the Toffees demolish their club-record transfer fee.
The ex-Anderlecht youngster put pen to paper on a five-year deal, £70,000-a-week deal with the Toffees, which will surely serve as a living and breathing example of Everton’s ambitions to challenge for the top four in years to come.
The Belgian international spent last season on loan at Goodirson Park, where he scored 15 goals in 29 starts. His goals proved vital in propelling Everton to a sixth place finish in the Premier League last season in Roberto Martinez’s first season in charge of the club.
The talented forward had been linked to Everton throughout the summer, but the rumours reached its peak, last evening when Lukaku posted a picture of himself on social networking site, Twitter with the caption 'Time to write a new chapter...'
Time to write a new chapter..... pic.twitter.com/1XNjbYXsl4
— R.Lukaku Bolingoli (@RomeluLukaku9) July 30, 2014
The writing was on the wall for Lukaku who once again saw Jose Mourinho favour the presence of veteran strikers rather than giving him a chance to make a mark on the team. The signings of Diego Costa and the return of Didier Drogba sounded the death knell of his career at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking to the press following his move, Lukaku said he harboured no regrets about making the switch from London. Lukaku said: “Last year was a very good year for me and I had the feeling that this was the place for me to grow. Roberto knows football very well; I can develop under him as a player. I want to become one of the best, he will challenge me personally.”
“I told Roberto I wanted to work with him. I want to thank the board for putting their trust in me. They did some very good stuff to get me here. I don’t have bad things to say about Chelsea. They gave me the chance to be here in England.” the Belgian added.
‘I decided very quickly I wanted to come back here. I need to play in a good team, I need to be in a place where it felt right. I have been in touch with all of the lads and they know that I am happy to be back.’
CONFIRMED: @RomeluLukaku9 becomes our Club-record signing, arriving from Chelsea on a 5-year deal for a fee of £28million. #WelcomeHomeRom
— Everton (@Everton) July 30, 2014
The £28million fee that Everton has paid Chelsea for Lukaku’s services is nearly double the club-record £15million the Toffees paid to buy midfielder Marouane Fellaini from Standard Liege in September 2008.
Lukaku seems to be making it a habit of joining clubs for record fees. Chelsea paid €12 million (£10 million), rising to €20 million (£17 million) for his services in 2011, making him the most expensive teenager in the World at the time.
However, the Belgian had never been given a proper chance to shine at Stamford Bridge. Lukaku spent his last two seasons on loan to West Brom and Chelsea, scoring 32 goals in 66 appearances.
Lukaku becomes Everton’s third capture of the season, joining Gareth Barry and Muhamed Beši? on permanent deals at Goodirson Park.