Party boy Lukaku arrested in Beverly Hills
Romelu Lukaku has evey reason to celebrate his £75 million move from Everton to Manchester United but last night it emerged he has been partying a little too hard.
Beverly Hills police said they arrested the Belgian striker last Sunday for “excessive noise” at the house he was staying in. The police had responded to five complaints from members of the public. Lukaku was issued with a citation and given a date in October to appear in court.
The news came as Lukaku and Wayne Rooney were last night undergoing medicals to trade their positions next season at Everton and Manchester United. Although the deals are ostensibly separate, negotiations have been eased by the shared interest, with Rooney being granted a return to his old club on a free transfer.
The medicals were happening almost simultaneously, with Lukaku in Los Angeles before United’s pre-season tour of the United States, and Rooney making what must have been a hugely emotional return to Everton and their Finch
Farm training base.
Rooney is United’s record goalscorer and has achieved club-legend status in 13 years in which he won five Premier League titles, three League Cups, the Champions League and the FA Cup.
United took the step early yesterday of announcing that a fee had been agreed with Everton for Lukaku and were sufficiently confident to add that a “further announcement” would be made in due course. Paul Pogba, who cost United £89 million when he joined from Juventus last summer, said on social media that he would see Lukaku, with whom he has been on holiday, at training in the morning.
Chelsea had made an offer that would match Lukaku’s fee and wages but United were willing to pay more to his agent, Mino Raiola. Lukaku had been Chelsea manager Antonio Conte’s top transfer target but he is now preparing to be reunited with Jose Mourinho, who sold him to Everton from Chelsea for £28 million in 2014.
Lukaku has scored 104 goals in the past five years in English football, including 25 in the Premier League last season, and United have been chasing him for most of the summer. Rooney has scored 72 goals in that period for United, with last season’s league tally of five the lowest of his 15 years in the top flight. Lukaku refused a new contract at Everton and wants to play in the Champions League.
Arsenal remain some distancefrom Monaco in their attempt to clinch a deal for the winger Thomas Lemar. Offers of €40million (£35million) and €45 million have been rejected and, while Arsenal are believed to be ready to reach €50million, Monaco are reluctant to sell and fees in the region of €70million are being mentioned.
Wolves have smashed their transfer record to sign Ruben Neves from Porto for around £15 million and confirmed a loan deal for defender Willy Boly.