United agree deal for Everton forward Lukaku

MANCHESTER: Manchester United have agreed a £75 million (RM417 million) fee for Romelu Lukaku and expect to wrap up a deal in time for the Everton striker to join them on their US tour.

United manager Jose Mourinho has moved quickly to hijack Chelsea’s pursuit of Lukaku and has now aborted his pursuit of Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata.

Lukaku’s move is not linked to that of Wayne Rooney, but United will waive any transfer fee to help facilitate a deal as their captain nears a return to Everton in a separate agreement.

Chelsea were thought to be front of the queue to sign Lukaku, who scored 26 goals last season, but he will be heading for Old Trafford once personal terms are agreed.

Mourinho is bringing the 24year-old forward in to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic and will now ditch the chase of Morata having secured his top target.

Lukaku was sold by Mourinho, who was then Chelsea manager, to Everton three years ago but is keen to work again with the Belgium international.

Relations between Everton and Chelsea have soured since the Premier League champions’ failed move to sign John Stones in 2015 and now United have pounced.

Lukaku will become the third Mino Raiola client on the books at Old Trafford alongside close friend Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Mourinho also signed Ibrahimovic, another member of Raiola’s client list, last summer.

Meanwhile, Everton are hopeful of thrashing out a move for Rooney with United ready to waive a transfer fee for the England striker having reached an agreement on Lukaku’s move.

There is a willingness on behalf of Everton, United and the Rooney camp to strike a deal, and his club have now found a compromise which could push a move through.

Everton have always been Rooney’s preference ahead of a move to China or America, and he confirmed after United’s win in the Europa League final in May that they were the only club he would play for after leaving Old Trafford.

Everton’s major shareholder Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright see the commercial value in bringing Rooney back to his spiritual home. They also hope he can resurrect his flagging career.

Manager Ronald Koeman also wants Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson and has an interest in Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud. Daily Mail