India beat Pakistan, qualify for Polo WC
Belgian international striker Romelu Lukaku is set to join Manchester United for a reported £75 million, a record fee between British clubs, after the buying club announced on Saturday they had reached agreement with Everton.
United believe they have deflected Chelsea’s frantic attempts to hijack the Belgian’s proposed move to Old Trafford and are set to wrap up the Belgian’s signing in a deal valued at £100m, which would also incorporate Wayne Rooney’s return to Goodison Park.
The 24-year-old’s signing — which the BBC says includes £15m in add-ons — represents a coup for United and their manager Jose Mourinho whose former club Chelsea had earmarked him as their top striking target for the close season.
Going in the opposite direction could well be United and England record goalscorer Rooney, who according to press reports is willing to take a cut in his £13 million a year wages to return to his first club, but with the promise of more first team football than at United last year.
However, the 31-year-old’s move, if it takes place, is not part of the Lukaku deal and United are willing to let him go on a free transfer despite having a year left on his contract.
It brings Mourinho and Lukaku back together again as the Portuguese manager in his second spell as Chelsea manager had sold him to Everton in 2014 for £28 million.
United said in a statement it was “delighted to announce a fee has been agreed with Everton for the transfer of Romelu Lukaku, subject to a medical & personal terms. “A further announcement will be made in due course,” added United.
Lukaku should have returned to England on Thursday for preseason training with Everton but instead was pictured training with his close friend, United midfielder Paul Pogba, who he is on holiday with in Los Angeles.
United are due in Los Angeles this weekend for a pre-season tour. According to British media reports the decisive factor in Lukaku’s head being turned towards United and not a return to the club he idolised as a schoolboy Chelsea were Pogba and their agent Mino Raiola.
Chelsea reportedly baulked at paying Raiola’s fee for Lukaku’s transfer although they had made a similar offer for the player. Man United are ready to test Tottenham's resolve over Eric Dier by making a renewed effort to sign him. They have had one bid turned down and with Spurs adamant the defensive midfielder is not for sale, it appeared Jose Mourinho had moved on to other targets, including Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic.
But with United poised to sign the Everton striker Romelu Lukaku from under Chelsea’s noses in a deal worth about £100m, it is unlikely they would sanction Matic’s move to Old Trafford. As a result United are considering a further push for Dier, who has always been Mourinho’s No 1 target in the position, and a bid of about £50m may change Spurs’ thinking.
with Lukaku reveals that his father Roger has had the most profound influence on his life be it in education or his football career.
love but it has paid off big time. “Very strict,” Lukaku
(in pic), who did make it big at Chelsea unlike Lukaku. However, Lukaku made it crystal clear in 2012 when Chelsea had sent him on loan to EPL rivals West Brom that idols did not mean he wished to be compared to them. "Am I fed up being compared with Drogba? Yes," he said.
Lukaku and his schoolmates at Saint-Guidon Institute in Brussels were subject of a documentary 'De School Van
content for United having secured such a talent and the legendary Scottish manager has good reason to recall the last time they crossed paths.
in charge of United away at West Brom and at 3-1 up at half-time
in six languages including Portuguese and Spanish. “I think education is very important. It was important for me to have my diplomas at school so I could also go to England," he saidin2012. told www.goal.com in 2011 regarding his upbringing. “My father told me, ‘You must always have a goal and do everything to reach it'. Ever since I was six or seven, I wanted to be a professional footballer." Lukaku' (Lukaku's School). Part of it filmed them on a trip to London and a visit to Chelsea's Stamford Bridge Ground which left Lukaku overwhelmed.
and I will play here for five hours. What a stadium! If one day in my life I will cry, it will be the day I play here. I love Chelsea," he says. The teacher accompanying the group urged a certain restraint from his pupil. Nevertheless undeterred Lukaku insists he is not fantasising. "This is not dreaming. I will do it. One day I will play here." United looked set to give him a perfect send-off.
a second-half substitute, changed it all. He scored almost immediately. Three goals inside the last 10 minutes forced a remarkable 5-5 draw with Lukaku emerging with a hat-trick.
important in Belgium and, if you didn't do well at school in the week, you couldn't play football at the weekend.
You can have an injury and then you won't play at the highest level any more.”
India defeated Pakistan 8-7 in a crucial qualifying match of the Polo World Cup in Tehran on Friday.
With the win, India qualified for the finals of the championship, scheduled to be held in October in Australia.
India put pressure on Pakistan from the start and scored quick goals. Pakistan bounced back, and the score read 7-7 in the last chukker. However, in the dying minutes, India secured a penalty and Dhruvpal Godara converted it to seal the match.
Earlier, India beat hosts Iran 10-8 in their opening game. In the next, they beat South Africa 6-5.
Indian golfer Aditi itwas nice to hear that, but every player wants to make his own name. I want to make my own name. Drogba was my big idol and so was my father,whoalsoplayedin Belgium. I want to be myself. I want the people to say, ‘this is Lukaku, not the new Drogba’.” Ashok produced five birdies in the back-nine to be four-under through 12 holes when play was stopped on account of fading light at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic here.
Aditi, who shot two-under 70 on Day 1, is now six- under and moved up to tied-24th with six more holes to go. Australia’s Katherine Kirk leads the field at -13 after the morning wave of players with an impressive round of eight-under 63.
Chennai’s Vishnu Prasad made a good debut in the Euro JK 17 category, winning both the races on the opening day of the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship at Kari Motor Speedway here .
Defending champion Anindith, in fact, was the fastest racer of the day. He set the pace in Race 1, with a speedy 1:00.911 minutes; he was even quicker in Race 2, with a burst of 1:00.695 minutes.
However, he just couldn’t find a way past Vishnu in both the races. He was second in Race 1, while in Race 2, he finished third. Nayan Chatterjee, who was on pole, couldn’t translate that to a race victory.
In LGB4, Chittesh Mandody of Avalanche Racing won the opening race of the season.
Diljith TS of Dark Don Racing finished second while Saran Vikram, a private racer, took the third place.