Romelu Lukaku: Everton sign Chelsea striker
Last updated on .From the section Everton
Everton have signed Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku for a club record £28m.
The 21-year-old Belgian World Cup forward, who scored 16 goals on loan at Everton last season, has signed a five-year contract at Goodison Park.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez said: "This signing is not just important for this season. It is a significant day in the history of this football club."
Lukaku joined Chelsea from Anderlecht for £18m in August 2011 but played only 15 games for the club.
After signing his contract at Goodison, Lukaku said: "I'm 21, I need to be playing in a good team. I needed to be in a place that felt right.
"I decided very quickly I wanted to come back. This is the place I belong."
| Romelu Lukaku's career statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | League matches | League goals |
| Everton | 31 | 15 |
| West Brom | 35 | 17 |
| Chelsea | 10 | 0 |
| Anderlecht | 72 | 33 |
Lukaku's transfer breaks the previous record of £15m for Marouane Fellaini when he joined Everton from Standard Liege in 2008.
It was originally thought Everton would pay £23.7m for Lukaku before the club revealed the £28m fee. Chelsea believe the transfer puts them in a strong position to comply with Uefa's Financial Fair Play rules.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who has now brought in £68m after the sale of Lukaku and defender David Luiz, said: "He wanted to play for Chelsea but wanted to be the first-choice striker. That's very difficult to promise.
"Everton made an important offer and financial fair play is something that is always behind the thoughts of the board. This leaves Chelsea in a great position."
Martinez said: "We know that Romelu is still a young man and the potential that he has is quite unique, and we are desperate to see him enjoying his football and to watch him grow as footballer in the years to come."
Lukaku rose to prominence as a 16-year-old with Anderlecht in the 2009-10 season when he scored 15 goals to help clinch the Belgium league title.
He scored 16 the next season and 2011-12 made the move to Chelsea, where he played a bit-part role under Andre Villas-Boas and then Roberto Di Matteo.
Lukaku joined West Brom on loan for the 2012-13 season, scoring 17 goals in 38 games as the Baggies recorded their highest ever Premier League finish of eighth.
Then last season, he was top scorer at Everton as they finished fifth in the Premier League and qualified for Europe for the first time in five years.
Lukaku's exploits at Goodison also helped secure a place in Marc Wilmots's Belgium squad for the 2014 World Cup.
He made four appearances in Brazil, scoring one goal, as Belgium reached the quarter-finals, losing 1-0 to Argentina.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had already signed two strikers and let two go this summer.
Diego Costa, 25, moved for £32m from Atletico Madrid and club legend Didier Drogba, 36, rejoined the Blues on a free transfer. Samuel Eto'o was released and Demba Ba was sold to Besiktas for £4.7m.
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The world has gone mad. None of these players were first team regulars!!
Having said that, I'm glad lukaku chose not to warm the bench at the bridge whilst earning millions like some others we all know. Hope he does well at Everton
From an LFC fan
Yeah. Me too.
Mourinho only let Mata join Man U because they had already met twice in the league and Moyes had put Utd out of the title race before Christmas.
Good move for Lukaka and Everton.
Chelsea on the other hand - selling Lukaku to keep Torres and bring back old man Drogba? Bizarre, but I suppose we shall see!
Disappointed Chelsea continue to buy in talent rather than nurture what's already on their doorstep. Though their loss is usually other premiership teams' gain! (Ta for Sturridge!)
My teams a big club yours isn't.
My teams develops youth yours doesn't.
My team plays football the right way yours doesn't.
My team has history yours doesn't
My team isn't obsessed with the past yours is.
My team isn't in debt yours is.
My team is built on marketing yours isn't.
My dads bigger than your dad.
Must be EPL..
- always wanting to improve
- always willing to listen
- most importantly always humble and grounded
Other young pros could learn a lot from this guy. Good luck Rom. :)
It seems that all true football fans are in favour of this move, because it's been done for 'footballing' reasons. i.e. furthering the player's career, rather than his bank balance ... though I doubt that he'll go short!!
Also, I don't think Lukaku has sulked - he's not gonna play much so he's took a pay cut to play more - credit to him.
I would suggest Lukaku wanted to leave as he wouldn't be first choice and didn't want to sit on the bench all season, I'm pretty sure Morinho would hae wanted him to stay as backup to Costa. For me it's refreshing to see a player that choses 1st team football over money sitting on a bench for a "big" team
Similar fee to Luke Shaw but likely to make more of a difference. Too much of a premium on English 'talent' and we wonder why there are so many foreign players in the Prem.
COYG
I agree, People are always moaning this day & age about youngsters just being money grabbers. Perfect example here of a youngster who wants to play & learn! He knows he will excel under Martinez and be a key player at the club for a little less money rather than fight it out to be a 2nd choice striker at Chelsea for more wages. Fair play to him i hope he does well
Not necessarily. Good cash profit yes, but they've just sold a player that single handedly dragged them out of oblivion. Then they spent the profit on a handful of half decent players, which is what Spurs did.
Andy Carroll from Newcastle to Liverpool was better business. They completely and utterly pulled Liverpool's pants down with that one.