adminLONDON. — Chelsea are stepping up their bid to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge confident they can strike a deal at around £60 million. Lukaku, who appeared in Everton’s pre-season friendly against Real Betis on Saturday, is keen to return to the club he left two years ago when he moved to Merseyside. Antonio Conte has been anxious to reinforce his squad in the attacking department but Chelsea were unable to secure top targets Gonzalo Higuain, who joined Juventus for £75 million, or Edinson Cavani, who is at Paris Saint-Germain.
A move for Alvaro Morata of Real Madrid was also rebuffed and, at present, seems very unlikely to be concluded during this transfer window after the forward started against Chelsea in their friendly clash on Saturday night.
Chelsea played against Real in the International Champions Cup, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before a crowd of more than 100 000 in a stadium known locally as The Big House. Conte’s efforts to lure Carlos Tevez back to English football also failed with a pledge from the Argentine to stay at Boca Juniors.
Lukaku is the last of their big targets still alive and although Everton have valued the 23-year-old at £75 million Chelsea hope to complete the deal with a package of around £60 million.
The Belgian moved to Stamford Bridge from Anderlecht for £18 million in the summer of 2011 but started only one Premier League game for the club. He was loaned out to West Bromwich Albion and Everton before making the move to Goodison Park permanent, two years ago, for £28 million.
Last year, in all competitions, he scored 25 goals. Chelsea have signed Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi from Marseille and midfielder N’Golo Kante from Leicester City, both for £30 million.
Lukaku would take the number of Belgium internationals at Stamford Bridge to four, with Batshuayi, Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois already in the squad. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter