Confirmed then. Manchester United announced on Saturday that they have successfully agreed a fee with Everton for the transfer of gifted striker Romelu Lukaku.
Regardless of the fee, in many ways, the deal by itself is a good one: the 24-year-old Belgian is among the best strikers in the Premier League currently, finishing second in the race for the Golden Boot last year, with 25 goals. He has revived his career at Everton after being sold by Chelsea in 2014.
But what will delight United fans even more is the way in which the club made the deal happen, right under the nose of fierce rivals and Lukaku’s former employers, Chelsea. The London club and manager Antonio Conte were reportedly fiercely looking to bring the Belgian back to Stamford Bridge. But United and manager Jose Mourinho managed to have the last laugh.
And well....United fans made their pleasure known:
There was even a hint of cynicism!
Chelsea fans didn’t really have much of a comeback...
While the value of the transfer deal has not been revealed yet, The Guardian reported it to be £100 million, including add-ons and Wayne Rooney. The astronomical reported sum was cue for more banter (mostly from Arsenal fans).
This Instagram video posted by United midfielder Paul Pogba after the official announcement was also shared massively. In the video, Lukaku comes and tells his new teammate (in French), “See you tomorrow in training.”
According to The Guardian’s report, the transfer deal also included United legend Wayne Rooney moving back to boyhood club Everton, whom he had left in 2004 to join the Red Devils. The 31-year-old is a fan favourite at United and many fans bade him goodbye in the fondest terms.
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