THE LUK OF LOVE Mourinho gets his man as United agree £100m deal
BY THE NUMBERS
ONE HUNDRED MILLION POUND
The Daily Star Sunday can confirm that Lukaku’s dramatic switch has cost United a cool £85million, plus £15m in add-ons.
And now the striker cannot wait to be reunited with boss Jose Mourinho who was his manager at Chelsea when he was sold to Everton for £28m in July 2014.
United officially announced yesterday morning that the club had agreed the fee with the Goodison club, subject to a medical and personal terms.
But Lukaku, 24, and United expect no last-minute hitches with the Belgian ready to pick up £250,000 a week in wages.
Lukaku, holidaying in Los Angeles with new team-mate and close pal Paul Pogba, will now undergo his medical in California when United arrive tonight for the start of their pre-season tour.
His Old Trafford arrival will be a bitter blow for Chelsea who were reported to be in the running for his expensive signature.
But it is understood that they were never serious players in the transfer battle and that the Lukaku link was ROMELU LUKAKU 85: Premier League goals 68: Everton’s Premier League goalscoring record STEVE MILLAR merely to show Antonio Conte that Chelsea are serious about making big-money signings.
It is an incredible piece of business by Everton chairman Bill Kenwright who personally negotiated the £100m move.
It is another example of astute dealing by a man who has played such a big role in transfers at his beloved club.
Over at Old Traf f ord, Mourinho is delighted to link up with his former player again and always marked him down as his No.1 target to replace the departed Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Lukaku is yet to hit his peak but has shown a dramatic improvement in his goal return since being shipped out on loan to West Brom four years ago.
He netted 17 goals for the Baggies before grabbing 16 for Everton the following season in all competitions.
Since then, Lukaku has hit even greater heights.
He scored 20 goals in his first season after agreeing a permanent move to Everton, followed by 25 and then 26 in the last campaign.
So he is certainly a striker who can deliver for Mourinho as he plans for all-out attack on the Champions League and Premier League next season.
United fans cannot wait to see Lukaku in action in a red shirt, with former Old Trafford player and Goodison 28: Club-record fee in millions Everton captain Phil Neville rubbing his hands at the impact the striker can have in securing even more silverware at the Theatre of Dreams.
Neville said: “There were a couple of criticisms about whether he can play in the big games. Can he score in the big games? But I think he half dispelled that last season.
“He scored in a couple of big games and I think he is improving all the time. I think he is a different type of striker to what United have had for a long time.
“He is someone who can run in behind, can be a little bit of a battering ram which United can use to play on the counter attack.
“With Zlatan last season United couldn’t play on the counter-attack because of his age and the fact that probably his legs were slowing down a little bit.
“But now you have got someone with genuine, genuine speed that United can use to play on the counter-attack. It will be interesting to see how he fits into this United team.
“There was a lot of talk about Jose selling him and not playing him when he was at Chelsea – but that was four or five years ago.
“Lukaku is a different player now. He is a better player and his record is sensational. If he gets anything like 17 to 20 goals this year, then United will be successful.” paid to sign him from Chelsea in 2014 31: The time (in seconds) to score Everton’s fastest Premier League goal v Bournemouth in February