Lukaku will be the most expensive star in history

ROMELU Lukaku was last night on the verge of completing his £98million return to Chelsea — a deal that makes him the world’s most expensive player. When he returns to Stamford Bridge, Lukaku will have been involved in transfers worth a staggering £291m — a figure that exceeds the £270m spent on Brazlian superstar Neymar. Lukaku (right) completed the first part of his medical in Milan yesterday ahead of travelling to London last night to finalise his switch to Chelsea, seven years after he left to join Everton. Lukaku has agreed a deal, thought to be for five years and worth around £200,000 a week after tax. As negotiations accelerated last week with a fee agreed at the weekend, Chelsea hoped they might be able to complete the deal in time for the Belgian to be involved against Villarreal in the UEFA Super Cup in Belfast tomorrow. Thomas

Tuchel and his Champions League winners fly out for the meeting with last season’s Europa League champions today. But the deadline for Lukaku to be registered is 11pm tonight and it is thought unlikely that the 28-year-old will be involved in Belfast. Instead, Lukaku’s second Chelsea debut could come in their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on Saturday. He made 15 appearances in two seasons in his first spell at Chelsea before being sold to Everton in 2014, after loan spells at Goodison Park and West Brom. Since then he has developed into one of the most prolific scorers in Europe, netting 177 times in 324 games and taking his international tally to 64 goals in 98 appearances. Although they ended the season as European champions, Chelsea were also the lowest scorers in the Premier League’s top seven and signing a new striker was a priority for Tuchel. Chelsea explored trying to prise Erling Haaland away from Borussia Dortmund but moved for Lukaku once it became clear Haaland was out of reach.