Manchester United beat Chelsea to Romelu Lukaku’s signature

Manchester United have stunned Chelsea by beating the Premier League champions to the signing of Everton’s Romelu Lukaku, for a fee reportedly in the region of £75 million. The Belgian international seemed set for a return to Stamford Bridge after an impressive three-year stint at the Toffees, though instead he’s following the River Mersey eastwards to reunite with José Mourinho. It almost certainly means United’s interest in Álvaro Morata is over, but what are the other consequences? Let’s take a look.

United have sorted their problem position

With Zlatan Ibrahimović gone and Wayne Rooney in the process of going, United’s big problem position was up top. They lacked both depth and experience in their strikeforce, with Marcus Rashford still too young to shoulder the burden himself. However, in Lukaku, United have produced an emphatic answer to their attacking question, signing one of the most consistently impressive strikers in the Premier League over the last few years.

In four seasons at Everton — the first being a loan stint — the Belgian has netted a combined total of 68 Premier League goals, and finished only four shy of the division’s top goalscorer Harry Kane with 25 last season. But not only is he proven, but he’s young enough that he could be playing at the very top for the best part of a decade. Still only 24, Lukaku could be United’s main forward for years to come. A frightening prospect for the other title competitors.

Chelsea are going to have to look elsewhere

The other major consequence of Lukaku’s move to United is that Chelsea are now left having to find someone else to fill their own void at center forward. Coach Antonio Conte has decided — like the rest of world football — that he doesn’t particularly like Diego Costa, who seems to be heading back to Atlético Madrid imminently. But that leaves the young and unproven Michy Batshuayi as their only remaining pure striker, and with a grueling continental schedule to come, that’s not going to cut the mustard.

It remains to be seen who else they’ll consider moving for. Proven strikers are hard to come by, and there aren’t many on the market at the moment. Could they take up interest in Morata? Will we see a more audacious move for someone like Sergio Agüero, Robert Lewandowski, or Edinson Cavani? They certainly have a gap that needs filling, and they’re going to need to spend big cash to do so. Watch this space.