No Lukaku deal struck yet, say Everton

MANCHESTER United are edging closer to a deal to sign striker Romelu Lukaku from Everton.

However, the significant progress they thought they had made was knocked back by the Merseysiders who countered claims a £75million fee had been agreed by insisting no deal has been struck.

And that has left Chelsea, who appeared front-runners in the race to re-sign their former player, with an opening to still make a late intervention.

Everton will hope that is the case as it increases the chances of a bidding war to take the asking price closer to the £100m tag they privately put on the 24-year-old Belgium international.

However, they may have to accept less for a player who has regularly voiced his desire to play in the Champions League.

But with the Stamford Bridge club yet to show their hand United remain in the driving seat to secure a player understood to be Jose Mourinho's first choice and one they have been quietly pursuing for months while all the talk was of an impending move to Chelsea.

REUNION

It is understood United believe they have secured their primary target, and a reunion with Mourinho for Lukaku, but it is understood senior sources at Everton maintain no deal or agreement over a fee has been reached.

United are believed to have ended their interest in Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata after making progress with Lukaku, with the club hoping to get a deal over the line before heading to the United States on their pre-season tour.

United captain Wayne Rooney looks increasingly unlikely to be on the plane this Sunday, with a return to boyhood club Everton getting closer - a move that is not understood to be connected to the Lukaku deal.

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic having already left Old Trafford this summer however, the signing of Lukaku would presumably ease the way for 31-year-old Rooney to leave.