Everton’s Romelu Lukaku has reportedly snubbed a new deal with the club.
Everton’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring
Everton’s Romelu Lukaku has thrown his future into doubt by rejecting a new £140,000-a-week contract with the club, as reported by BBC Sport.
Signed permanently from Chelsea in 2014 after a superb loan spell, Lukaku has become Everton’s main man in recent years, smashing 81 goals in just 156 games for the Toffees.
The Belgian centre forward, 23, has become Everton’s all-time top goalscorer in the Premier League, and currently sits as the Premier League’s joint-top goalscorer, tied with Harry Kane on 19.
Unsurprisingly, Lukaku’s exploits in front of goal have triggered interest in his signature, but Everton have been hopeful of tying their star striker down to a new contract at Goodison Park – only for those hopes to be dashed today.
BBC Sport report that Lukaku has told Everton that he won’t be signing a new deal with Ronald Koeman’s men, turning down £140,000-a-week – the biggest contract in the club’s history.
Jamie Carragher
The news will ultimately spark mass speculation over a summer move for Lukaku, but pundit Jamie Carragher has joked about the situation, with the ex-Liverpool defender suggesting that his recent trip to see Lukaku – which featured Carragher donning an Everton training kit – played a part in Lukaku’s decision to seek a transfer.
Whilst Carragher can see the funny side, Everton almost certainly won’t be. The Toffees are looking to really push for a top six place under Koeman and with added investment from shareholder Farhad Moshiri, and tying a top player like Lukaku to a new contract would have been a major signal of intent.
However, Lukaku is now looking to force a move to a Champions League club, handing Everton a setback in their attempts to grow the club into a legitimate contender in the Premier League.
If there’s one silver lining for Everton, it’s that they’re in a strong position in the transfer market. Everton are under no financial pressure to sell thanks to Moshiri, Lukaku is still contracted for another two years, and he is scoring regularly – meaning the Toffees are in a great position to demand a huge fee, potentially in the £70million to £80million range.
How much do you think Lukaku is worth?
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