The football world exploded in the last hour with the news that Manchester United and Everton had agreed a £75m transfer fee for Romelu Lukaku, gazumping Chelsea who had long been understood to be in the lead for the striker’s signature but could not get Everton to drop their price from £100m.
So how did United do it?
It turns out that maybe they haven’t done it at all. Or at least not yet. Not long after the dam broke on the Lukaku news, Everton tried their best to stem the tide and deny that any agreement has been reached.
NO DEAL! Senior Everton sources tell talkSPORT they have NOT accepted £75m bid from Man United for Romelu Lukaku https://t.co/AMTvDLdBUT pic.twitter.com/1YOzBagIFv
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) July 6, 2017
Told the race for Lukaku is not over. Chelsea still in it, very much so. @MirrorFootball
— Darren Lewis (@MirrorDarren) July 6, 2017
Sources tell me "no deal reached" between @everton and @ManUtd for Romelu Lukaku. Reports of £75m fee agreement "incorrect."
— Jim White (@JimWhite) July 6, 2017
The sourcing on these is a bit worse than the previous rumors, but it sounds like Chelsea have a decent opportunity to fight it out with United for Lukaku’s signature — it should be noted if that’s to be the case and if Lukaku’s agent Mino Raiola wanted to engineer a bidding war, he will have done so masterfully.
Funny games:
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) July 6, 2017
✅United camp: deal agreed
❌ Everton camp: no deal agreed
✔️ Chelsea camp: still in for Lukaku
Sky Sports pic.twitter.com/1GtUriZ5Vq
— CPFC HQ (@CPFCHQ) July 6, 2017
Senior Everton sources have said that no deal has been agreed to sell Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United.
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) July 6, 2017
Watching the story unfold like.. pic.twitter.com/X8sk9XCTf2