Chelsea’s £40m-Rated Attacker Heading To North London?

As we approach the business end of the season clubs are starting to make plans for the summer transfer market so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Arsenal have joined Spurs in the race for Romelu Lukaku.

Arsenal are ready to go head-to-head with north London rivals Tottenham over the signing of £40m-rated Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, according to the Daily Mail.

The Belgian ace moved to Chelsea from Anderlecht in 2011 but found first team football hard to come by and has spent the last two seasons out on loan. The 20-year-old scored 17 goals in 35 games for West Brom in 2012/13 and has 13 goals in 25 appearances for Everton so far this season.

However, despite his impressive form in the Premier League, it appears Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is still going to allow him to leave this summer to help fund his move for Diego Costa and two of North London’s finest are ready to offer him a new home.

The Daily Mail claim that Lukaku knows his days at Stamford Bridge are numbered and agents have now ‘sounded out’ Arsenal and Tottenham with the pair ready to battle-it-out over the Belgian international’s signature at the end of the season.

No doubt Chelsea would prefer not to sell to a direct rival and the newspaper suggests they have slapped a £40m price-tag on the players head following the interest from their domestic rivals, but Mourinho has shown in the recent past with the sale of Juan Mata to Manchester United that if the price is right, he’s not afraid to strengthen a direct competitor.

With Everton highly unlikely to be able to afford Lukaku’s transfer fee, it leaves the North London duo in the driving seat should the powerful front-man want to remain in the Premier League.

Arsenal are expected to be in the market for at least one striker this summer with the club currently heavily reliant on Olivier Giroud up front and a player of Lukaku’s quality would certainly strengthen their attacking strike-force next season.

Spurs are also primed for an important summer with a new manager likely to come in and Lukaku would be a nice welcoming present if chairman Daniel Levy was able to pull it off.

It remains to be seen whether either club would be prepared to meet Chelsea’s supposed asking price but Blues fans may be left scratching their heads next season if they have to watch on as Lukaku bangs the goals in for one of their close rivals after never really being given a fair chance to succeed at the Bridge.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Chelsea transfer news | Spurs transfer news

Would Arsenal and Spurs fans like to see Lukaku arrive? Do Chelsea fans think he deserves a chance at their club? Share your views below.