Everton’s hopes of keeping Romelu Lukaku this summer may have just been handed a huge boost, courtesy of Manchester United’s ridiculous spending power.
The Belgian striker appears determined to leave Goodison Park in the coming months having rejected a new deal earlier this season.
Two clubs to be linked with his signature are former club Chelsea and Manchester United, with rumours suggesting both are keen on making a move for him.
However, a move to Old Trafford may be off the cards entirely if the Independent’s latest report is to be believed.
The newspaper is reporting that United are now confident they can secure a £85 million deal for Atletico Madrid superstar Antoine Griezmann. So confident in fact, they believe the deal will be done by the end of next month.
Griezmann has added fuel to the fire himself by this week saying a move is 6/10 likely to happen.
In addition to that, the Independent also believe that Jose Mourinho is seeking to further bolster his forward ranks with the capture of Torino forward Andrea Belotti, who he hopes to partner with Griezmann.
That deal is thought to have only a 50/50 chance of happening at this moment in time, though. Nonetheless, it could prove a huge boost to Everton’s hopes of keeping Lukaku.
With United out of the picture, it could leave Chelsea as the only other viable move for Lukaku this summer.
Now they certainly have the money to take him to Stamford Bridge but would likely have to sell Diego Costa first before making a move.
His likeliest destination was China but the new tax rule introduced earlier this week means his move could cost £180m, thus making it unlikely to happen.
A return to Atletico is another possibility for the Spaniard but it’s debatable given they’re lining up Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette if they overturn their transfer ban.
There’s also Alvaro Morata to consider. Even if Chelsea do sell Costa, a move for Morata seems more likely given the striker has expressly stated his desire to play under the Italian as recently as last month.
Conte is also a well-known fan of the player. Would they sign him and then make a big money move for Lukaku? It seems doubtful.
Of course, it’s all conjecture at this point and nobody is quite certain what will happen with Lukaku this summer, that’s just how the transfer window circus works.
However, if Manchester United’s transfer plans do come to fruition, it will certainly give Everton a much better hope of keeping their star man than have right now.