Everton to open £70m striker transfer talks this week – Sky Sports journalist
By Harry Sykes
Everton are set to open talks with Chelsea in the “coming days” over the transfer of Romelu Lukaku, according to a reliable journalist.
Sky Sports Italy correspondent Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed on his personal website on Wednesday that the Merseysiders will start negotiating the sale of the Belgium striker by the end of the week.
Di Marzio reports that newly-crowned Premier League champions Chelsea have identified Lukaku as their first choice to replace Diego Costa, who could move to a Chinese club.
Initial discussions have already taken place between Lukaku’s representatives and Chelsea, while the player himself has spoken to international teammate Thibaut Courtois about life at Stamford Bridge.
Di Marzio explains that talks will now taken place directly between officials of the two Premier League clubs and it is likely that an agreement will be struck at around £70million.
Chelsea have made their move three years after selling Lukaku for a club-record Everton price of £28million.
At £70million, the cost of Lukaku would demolish Chelsea’s own record signing, the £50million they paid Liverpool for Fernando Torres in January 2011.
Lukaku has demonstrated his value while at Everton, scoring 86 goals in 165 matches and topping the Premier League charts this season with 24 in 36 games.
He recently told the club that he would not sign a new contract and, with his current deal to expire in the summer of 2019, Ronald Koeman’s side appear ready to cash in.
In other Everton transfer news, the club will now turn their sights to a new striker target available at a bargain price after missing out on Ramirez.
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