The Belgian has been linked with a massive move from Everton to AC Milan.
There was a period last summer when it appeared as if Everton would no longer be able to hang on to Romelu Lukaku. A dramatic decline in the final season of Roberto Martinez cancelled out the Champions League push from two years prior and, according to Sky Sports, the Toffees’ talisman handed in a transfer request to force through a move to a club at the top tier of Europe’s footballing elite.
However, thanks to the arrival of billionaire shareholder Farhad Moshiri, and the appointment of the frank-talking Ronald Koeman, Lukaku was persuaded to stay by Everton’s desire to muscle their way into the continent’s premiere club competition. All of which makes the Daily Star’s claim that AC Milan are readying a summer move somewhat moot.
The publication reports that the Premier League’s top scorer is close to agreeing a new deal at Goodison Park, although that will not prevent a Milan side embarking on a substantial rebuilding project bankrolled by a long-awaited Chinese takeover from making a ground-breaking bid for the £75 million-rated centre-forward.
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“He possesses aggression, composure and an eye for goal needed to succeed,” a San Siro source said, as reported by the Daily Star.
However, as it stands, Milan are 10 points adrift of third place, the final Champions League qualification spot in Italy, thanks to an horrendous recent run that has put pay to any early season progress. Furthermore, the seven-time champions have not even appeared in the competition since 2013/14.
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And, although they have closed the gap this season with a talented, youthful squad and a progressive manager in Vincenzo Montella, you get the feeling that, if Lukaku was to up sticks, the current Milan side could consider themselves extremely fortunate to even be in the running.
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