Chelsea are said to be "confident" of bringing former strikerRomelu Lukaku back to the club in a deal that could be worth up to £65 million.
That’s according to Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard, who reported that the Belgium international wants to make a return to Stamford Bridge, where he feels as if he has "unfinished business." Everton bought the striker from the Blues for £28 million in 2014, and, as Johnson noted, he has also been linked to Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.
Lukaku has enjoyed the best season of his career at Goodison Park, netting 18 Premier League goals in a struggling outfit. He seems keen to move on, though.
"In my head, I have already made a decision," he said recently, per Johnson. "It’s true that the English competition suits me perfectly, but there are plenty of other beautiful clubs."
As BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty noted, while the player may well want to make the step to a more illustrious club, ultimately it’s not his decision:
Still, Everton would find it tough to say no to an offer of such massive proportions. Chelsea need another goalscorer in the team, and given that Lukaku is just 23 years old, the potential is there for longevity at the point of attack.
He’d transform their attacking forays. Lukaku’s physicality means that teams can play direct into him, but he is also extremely quick for a man of his somatotype, able to run the channels and dribble past defenders. The Belgian's goal for Everton in the FA Cup against Chelsea earlier in the season captured all the best aspects of his game:
Some of these issues will iron themselves out as the striker matures; others will remain for the duration of his career. But crucially for Chelsea, Lukaku is young, a potential force of nature and a proven Premier League goalscorer. It’s easy to see why they would want a reunion.