Lukaku seals return to Chelsea for club-record $135 million
Romelu Lukaku sealed a return to Chelsea on Thursday by moving from Inter Milan for a reported $135 million, a record transfer fee for the European champions that made the Belgium striker the seventh most expensive player of all time.
Lukaku is back at the London club where he spent three seasons from 2011, though he was out on loan for two of those years before being sold for 28 million pounds (now $39 million) to Everton.
Now, the 28-year-old is one of the world’s best strikers, prompting Chelsea to buy him back for more than three times that fee to make him the second most expensive Premier League player ever. England midfielder Jack Grealish joined Manchester City last week for 100 million pounds ($139 million).
“I’m happy and blessed to be back at this wonderful club,” Lukaku said. “It’s been a long journey for me: I came here as a kid who had a lot to learn, now I’m coming back with a lot of experience and more mature.”
Tsitsipas wins on birthday
TORONTO » Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrated his 23rd birthday by beating Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the National Bank Open quarterfinals.
The crowd serenaded the No. 3 seed from Greece with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” as he was presented with a white sheet cake decked out with fresh fruit.
Top-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia beat Australia’s James Duckworth 6-2, 6-4 in a night match.
Local favorite Thomson leads
FIFE, SCOTLAND » Michele Thomson of Scotland shot a 7-under 65 at Dumbarnie Links to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open.
Thompson, the 33-year-old Ladies European Tour player from Aberdeen, rebounded from an opening bogey with an eagle on No. 2. She birdied seven of her final 11 holes at Dumbarnie Links.
Atlanta United names coach
ATLANTA » Former Mexican national team player Gonzalo Pineda was hired as head coach of Atlanta United and tasked with stabilizing a team that’s seen plenty of turnover at the coaching position.
Pineda’s first priority, however, is to gain medical clearance following his positive test this week for COVID-19. Pineda is Atlanta’s fifth coach in a year, making him a crucial
hire for team president Darren Eales.
Florida’s Hill out for season
GAINESVILLE, FLA. » Florida cornerback and projected starter Jaydon Hill will miss the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury coach Dan Mullen called a “massive disappointment.”
A junior from Huntsville, Ala., Hill started five games last season and had been slotted to play opposite Kaiir Elam, who tied for the SEC lead with 13 pass defenses in 2020.
Sabalenka ends Marino’s run
MONTREAL » Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus ended Canadian Rebecca Marino’s strong run at the National Bank Open with a 6-1, 6-3 victory.
The 30-year-old Marino, a wild card ranked 220th, made it to the round of 16 by upsetting No. 16 seed Madison Keys and 31st-ranked Paula Badosa.
Thorbjorsen rallies, needs another
OAKMONT » Michael Thorbjornsen made five straight birdies to win his first match and needed another big comeback in the second round of a U.S. Amateur that faced more delays Thursday.
Thorbjornsen was 3 down with six holes to play against William Hott when the Stanford sophomore ran off five birdies in a row.
But the 19-year-old from Massachusetts was in trouble late in the second round against Nick Gabrelcik. Gabrelcik was 2 up with two holes left when the round was to resume Friday morning.