Man Utd target Everton striker Romelu Lukaku

• Posted on July 6, 2017
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Everton’s Romelu Lukaku has emerged as a candidate for Manchester United as Jose Mourinho’s wait to sign a striker goes on.

The 24-year-old was on a list of forward options Mourinho gave to executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward before the end of last season.

It had been thought Lukaku, who scored 25 Premier League goals last season, would rejoin his former club Chelsea.

However, United now feel it is possible to get the Belgium international.

The club have been in negotiations to sign Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid, but have so far been unable to reach an agreement.

United are already in contact with Everton over a deal for former England captain Wayne Rooney, who is likely to leave Old Trafford and return to Goodison Park.

That could make negotiations relatively smooth, even if the fee being spoken of would challenge the world record £89m transfer that took Paul Pogba to Old Trafford from United last summer.

Lukaku was sold to Everton for £28m by Mourinho during the Portuguese manager’s second spell in charge of Chelsea in 2014.

He is a client of agent Mino Raiola, who also looks after Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – three players all signed by United last summer.

The Belgian turned down the most lucrative contract offer in Everton’s history in March and later said: “I don’t want to stay at the same level. I want to improve and I know where I want to do that.”