Romelu Lukaku Exit Paves Way For Inevitable World-Record Transfer Fee

Last summer, Manchester United broke the world-record transfer fee by signing Paul Pogba for £89.3 million. During that same window, Chelsea had a £70 million bid to resign Everton’s Romelu Lukaku turned down. With Lukaku confirming that he’s unwilling to sign an extension on an Everton contract that still has two years left to run, Lukaku will almost inevitably become the world’s most expensive transfer this summer.

According to Sky Sports, Lukaku has told Everton that he will not sign a new deal, saying: “The decision has already been made so I can’t talk about that. There is nothing wrong with ambition. You have to embrace it and where you are as a footballer.

“Sometimes people will mistake things that I say but it’s just ambition that I have; I want to win titles and trophies and I don’t think people should take that as arrogance - people should embrace it.”

Everton are in control of the transfer as the mega riches of the Premier League and Lukaku’s contract mean they’ll be more than ready to wait for an astronomical fee, especially so when considering the Pogba fee compared to Lukaku’s impact this season.

Romelu Lukaku:

1st to score 20 PL goals
1st Everton player to score 20 goals in PL season
4th player to score 80+ PL goals before 24 pic.twitter.com/cVU01dOCkA

— SPORF (@Sporf) March 18, 2017

The 23-year-old Belgian striker is enjoying his finest season in the Premier League to date, although his previous four have been nothing to scoff at either. With 21 goals from 28 games, Lukaku is the sort of striker that almost guarantees a top club the Premier League crown.

He’s already scored 81 EPL goals in only 167 matches, and he’s only going to get better. The safe money would be on Lukaku returning to Chelsea, and Conte’s dogged pursuit of him will only help the Blues’ cause.

But God only knows how much money Manchester United would be willing to throw at Everton and Lukaku as Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s replacement. Wherever he ends up, that club will be heavy favorites for next year's title.