Manchester United round-up: Striker deal all but announced; Zlatan could return; Chelsea battle for midfielder

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Romelu Lukaku is increasingly near to confirming a move from Everton to Manchester United. The striker posted on Instagram to confirm that he had taken a medical with the Red Devils and has spoken to ESPN regarding his move, explaining his decision by saying:

“This is an opportunity that I’ve always wanted since I was a child. When [Manchester United] came calling, I didn’t have to think twice. So I’m really delighted to hopefully be part of their history… Who would say no to the biggest club in the world?”

The Belgian will swap clubs with Wayne Rooney, as Everton confirmed his arrival on Sunday lunchtime on a two year deal after a 13 year stay at Old Trafford. Now, United fans are simply waiting for confirmation of Lukaku’s arrival to be made official in the coming days.

Lukaku could be joined up front by Zlatan Ibrahimovic if the Mirror is to be believed. They claim that the Swede could be offered a surprise contract from January, when he is expected to have recovered from his knee injury sustained against Anderlecht in Europa League action earlier this year.

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Ibrahimovic will then be 36-years-old and it could be his final contract at a top European club. However, given that he was on huge wages in 2016/17, he may not come cheap and may be tempted by lucrative offers from abroad.

A less surprising addition could be Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez as the Express claim that United are leading the race for the playmaker. Real Madrid are prepared to part ways with the Colombian for a fee in the region of £70 million, but club president Florentino Perez would prefer to sell to fellow Premier League title hopefuls Chelsea.

That said, the player himself is believed to prefer a switch to Manchester so that he could work with manager Jose Mourinho. Whether or not a deal can be agreed could take some time to become evident, but it is hard to imagine how United would have the money or the squad space to fit him into their plans.

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