Manchester United seals Lukaku deal; fee could reportedly reach £90M

Manchester United has its replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, swooping in and nabbing Romelu Lukaku from right under Chelsea's nose.

In a move destined to have ramifications on the rest of the transfer window, the Red Devils announced the signing of the burly Belgian striker on Monday, with reports suggesting Everton could ultimately pocket a world-record fee of £90 million for his services.

Lukaku penned a five-year contract with his new club with an option for a sixth term.

The Guardian reported last week that United would fork over an initial £75-million fee, with a further £15 million in "easily attainable" add-ons changing hands. Should those bonuses be met, the £90-million figure would just barely eclipse the £89.3-million record that United set in signing Paul Pogba from Juventus last summer.

And that's not all Everton procured for its prized asset.

Wayne Rooney, despite not officially being part of the deal, returned to his boyhood club Sunday in a move that, according to Dominic Fifield of the Guardian, was "built in" to the Lukaku switch. The Englishman's £10-million valuation effectively bumps the price tag on the Lukaku deal to an eye-watering nine figures.

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Lukaku underwent his medical in Los Angeles, where he was spending time training with his friend - and now teammate - Paul Pogba. The Frenchman is said to have played an important role in getting the 24-year-old to shun the Blues in favour of a move to Old Trafford.

The monstrous transfer fee is sure to raise some eyebrows given Lukaku's skill set - when struggling, he looks laboured on the pitch, and his first touch often leaves much to be desired - but his scoring record in England's top flight is truly outstanding.

The Anderlecht academy graduate has racked up 85 goals in the last five Premier League seasons.

There's no arguing with that.

United's expensive hitman joins Swedish defender Victor Lindelof as the newest recruits for the reigning Europa League champion, and linked up with his teammates for the club's five-match pre-season tour of the United States.

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For Chelsea, meanwhile, this comes as a bitter blow. Antonio Conte, thought to already be upset with the club's inability to deliver on his transfer demands, will now be scrambling to find another option up front, as his fractured relationship with incumbent striker Diego Costa looks destined to result in the Brazil-born Spaniard leaving west London this summer.