Chelsea In Talks To Sign Man Utd Striker Target, £200k-A-Week Contract On Offer

Managers are now pressing ahead with their plans for the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, Chelsea are in talks to sign Romelu Lukaku…

Chelsea have now opened formal negotiations with Everton over a potential deal to sign Romelu Lukaku and are offering the striker a bumper contract to move to London, according to The Times via the Liverpool Echo.

Lukaku enhanced his reputation as one of the deadliest strikers in the Premier League after scoring 26 goals for Everton last season and he’s expected to leave the club after turning down a new contract.

Understandably, the 24-year-old has attracted plenty of interest with the Daily Star reporting last week that Manchester United were ready to battle-it-out with Chelsea over his signature.

Jose Mourinho is in the market for a new striker after losing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the newspaper suggested that the United boss had turned his attention to Lukaku after missing out on Antoine Griezmann.

However, Chelsea emerged as the front-runners after the Independent reported earlier this week that Lukaku had made up his mind on a return to Stamford Bridge this summer.

The Belgian international endured a frustrating first spell at Chelsea after joining the club from Anderlecht in 2011 but it appears he’s keen for a second chance at forging a career in west London.

A move is now a step closer as the Liverpool Echo are citing a report from The Times that claims Chelsea have opened negotiations with Everton but are reluctant to meet the Toffees £100m valuation.

The newspaper says Chelsea are hoping to get a deal agreed at closer to £70m with Lukaku set to sign a contract worth £200,000-a-week if he moves back to Stamford Bridge.

There is also a fresh twist to the story as The Times are cited as saying that any potential deal is also being complicated as Chelsea hoped to use Michy Batshuayi as part exchange but the striker is reluctant to move to Everton.

We’ll have to wait and see how things develop but it looks as though Antonio Conte is closing-in on a new striker after it emerged that the Chelsea boss has informed Diego Costa he is no longer needed at the club.

READ MORE –> Chelsea transfer news | Man Utd transfer news

Lukaku appears to be the most likely replacement for the Brazilian-born hitman but if Batshuayi also leaves then I think we can expect Conte to bring in a second big name striker over the summer months.