Chelsea‘s pursuit of Michy Batshuayi has reportedly seen them end their interest in re-signing Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, potentially paving the way for Manchester United to sign him.
According to the Daily Star‘s Jonathan Green, the Blues will no longer be pursuing Lukaku once Batshuayi is confirmed, while United have been monitoring him for some time.
Further, the Belgian’s agent is Mino Raiola, who also represents Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, meaning the Red Devils “could hold an advantage in any battle for his signature” as Raiola is also reportedly working on the other two signing for United.
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Last season, United frequently failed to produce the kind of attacking football they displayed in the days of Sir Alex Ferguson—rather than quick, exciting and clinical play, they were too often slow, unimaginative and wasteful.
With Wayne Rooney transitioning into midfield, United also had few forward options and netted just 49 goals.
Lukaku bagged 18 in the league and 25 in all competitions, so it’s of little surprise he’s attracting interest. As WhoScored.com noted, the 23-year-old has been one of the most clinical finishers in the English top flight in recent times:
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However, Green reports the Toffees could require a £65 million fee for him, and that’s a huge sum for a player who’s still not the complete package.
He failed to score in his final 10 games last season, and he too often lets himself down with a poor pass or first touch or goes missing entirely.
FourFourTwo‘s Seb Stafford-Bloor believes he’d be better off staying at Goodison Park:
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Lukaku is still an excellent player with plenty of room to improve, but such a fee is too high for a player who still needs to develop.
Meanwhile, Turkish outlet Aksam (h/t James Cambridge of the Express) reported that Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho is interested in signing Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder, but the Turkish club want Marouane Fellaini in exchange.
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As United fans will attest, the Dutchman being linked with Old Trafford is nothing new—per Cambridge, speculation he could join the club has lasted “for a number of years.”
Sneijder enjoyed a successful spell with Mourinho at Inter Milan and would have made a fantastic signing for United in his heyday.
Good on the ball, creative and a goal threat from distance, the Netherlands international is an excellent playmaker and enjoyed a fairly strong season for Galatasaray last year, scoring five goals and assisting 10 in all competitions.
However, he’s now 32, so a move seems highly unlikely at this point. United could do with getting rid of the slow, ill-disciplined and often ineffectual Fellaini, but not in this manner.
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