A senior Everton official has told Independent.ie that reports suggesting Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign striker Romelu Lukaku are wide of the mark, despite suggestions that a £75m offer has been accepted by the Goodison Park club.

Everton have been in talks with United officials in recent days over a deal to sign Wayne Rooney, with talks over a deal for Lukaku taking place during those discussions.

Yet suggestions that an offer has been made and accepted by Everton for their star striker are inaccurate at this stage, with Chelsea still very much in the frame to sign the striker who is believed to favour a move back to his former club.

The Belgian striker has stated his desire to make a return to Chelsea three years after he left the Stamford Bridge club and Everton are now waiting to see whether they receive a counter offer from the Premier League champions before making a final decision on Lukaku.

The Everton stance appears to be something of a bargaining position, with Lukaku’s departure inevitable for several months after he stated his desire to join a club in the Champions League.

He would prefer that club to be Chelsea and while his agent Mino Raoila has strong links with United after he finalised big-money moves for Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan last year, his client is believed to be keen to hold out for a move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is reported to be frustrated by his club's sluggish progress in the transfer market this summer and he may not be amused if United beat Chelsea to the punch by signing Lukaku.

So while the Belgian striker may well end up at United, it is clear that reports suggesting a deal is already in place to sign the player may have been a little hasty and there may be a few more twists and turns in this story before it reaches a conclusion.

Online Editors