Manchester United have completed the signing of Romelu Lukaku, it was announced on Saturday morning.
United confirmed on their official Twitter account that they have agreed a fee with Everton for the transfer of the prolific Belgium striker.
#MUFC is delighted to announce a fee has been agreed with Everton for the transfer of Romelu Lukaku, subject to a medical & personal terms. pic.twitter.com/O7oQJWzYHo
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 8, 2017
The Premier League giants explained that the deal for the 24-year-old is subject to the completion of a medical and the agreement of personal terms, but they are expected to be routine.
United revealed in a follow-up message on Twitter that a second announcement will follow, presumably when Lukaku has put the finishing touches to the transfer.
A further announcement will be made in due course.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 8, 2017
United have not divulged the fee they will pay Everton for the powerful forward but it has been widely reported, including by ESPN FC, that he will cost around £90million including performance-related add-ons.
That would make it a world-record deal, and more than the £89million that the 20-times league champions paid Juventus for Paul Pogba 12 months ago.
The signing of Lukaku is a huge boost to United manager Jose Mourinho as he attempts to make the team serious title contenders after a disappointing sixth place finish last season.
The forward scored 25 league goals for Everton in 2016-17, a tally bettered only by Tottenham goal machine Harry Kane, who won the Golden Boot for the second consecutive season.
Intriguingly, Mourinho’s former club Chelsea made a last-ditch bid to sign Lukaku on Friday night by tabling a £75million bid but it did not persuade the player to change his mind.
ESPN report that Lukaku, who has been on holiday with Pogba in Los Angeles, is expected to meet up with his new teammates in the city on Sunday as they jet in to the west coast of the United States for a three-week pre-season tour.
The Belgium international is pencilled in to make his United debut against Steven Gerrard’s former club LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center on 15 July.