Everton star striker Romelu Lukaku has claimed that he has reached an agreement over his transfer with a new club before bullishly ruling out stay at Goodison Park.
Lukaku scored 25 Premier League goals last season and has reportedly attracted interest from a host of big European clubs including Bayern Munich, Manchester United and his former club Chelsea.
The Belgian International will almost certainly leave the Toffees this summer after turning down lucrative £100,000-a-week contract in March that would had made him the best-paid player in the club’s history and the 24-year-old has now revealed that he is closer than ever to leave Everton.
Lukaku said: “Staying at Everton is not really an option for next season. I am staying calm about everything. There is nothing concrete with another club at the moment, but my agent is busy discussing things.
“I’m not going to make big declarations on my future, but I know where I want to play: in a club who are competing in the Champions League and can win titles in England. Staying in England is best for me. I know the competition, and I’ve almost reached 100 goals in the league, which is a milestone I want to achieve.
“The Premier League is a dream for me, but I also want to win the Champions League, the FA Cup and other prizes. I don’t want to stay at the same level. I want to improve, and I know where I want to do that,” Lukaku added.
“My agent is now talking to a club. I know where I want to go, so I’ll just stay patient. I know meetings have been arranged, so I’m just waiting for a call. We are now in discussions with the club. We’ll see what happens.”
Despite fierce competition for the striker’s signature, Chelsea remain favorites to re-sign Lukaku but Everton’s £100 million asking price could be a huge tumbling block in the Belgian’s potential return to the Stamford Bridge since the Blues will be reluctant to pay a world record transfer fee for a player they sold for £28 million in 2014.
In an interview with Sky Sports on Monday, Lukaku added: “My agent knows what’s going to happen and I know as well. I’m staying calm and we have an agreement with the club as well.”
Lukaku is seen as a potential replacement for Diego Costa whose future at Chelsea continues to remain uncertain. The Spanish striker is linked with a move back to Atletico Madrid in January after the Los Rojiblancos failed to overturn their transfer ban.
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