Chelsea target Romelu Lukaku may reject move to Stamford Bridge

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku may turn down a move to Premier League leaders Chelsea this summer over reservations about Antonio Conte’s style of play, according to The Sun.

The 23-year-old has once again been in sensational form for the Toffees this term, netting a league-high 24 goals thus far from 35 appearances, as well as laying on six assists for Ronald Koeman’s side.

However, his future at Goodison Park is far from certain after it was reported that he rejected a new deal at the Merseyside outfit back in March, and since then has been linked with a move back to Stamford Bridge, three years after leaving the club.

Yet it has been reported that the Belgian international, who has scored 86 goals in just 146 games for Everton, is entirely sold on Conte’s demands of his strikers, which sees them play a huge role defensively as well as in the attacking third of the pitch.

And that indecision and uncertainty could propel Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United to the front of the queue, what with the Portuguese boss looking for a talismanic figure following the long-term injury sustained by Zlatan Ibrahimovic last month.

It’s highly unlikely that the 35-year-old will play for the Red Devils again following ligament damage against Anderlecht on April 20, leaving Mourinho with a gaping hole to fill up front after a campaign which has seen Ibrahimovic score 28 goals in all competitions, 17 more than the next-best Marcus Rashford.

And that hole could be filled by Everton’s Lukaku, whose future certainly appears to be away from Goodison Park, but whether Chelsea can convince him to come back to West London very much remains to be seen.