Wednesday, 30th July, 2014
Everton have confirmed the permanent signing of striker Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea for a fee of £28m.
Lukaku spent last term on loan at Goodison Park and hit the back of the net 16 times for the club, leading boss Roberto Martinez to remark that the Belgian was his "number one target".
The 21-year-old has penned a five-year contract at Everton and has been quick to express his delight at joining the Toffees.
"I am really excited about rejoining Everton. I had a fantastic experience last season and a great relationship with the manager, the chairman, the staff, the players and the fans. I can’t wait to get started again and I’m looking forward to a successful season", the Belgian told the club's site.
Martinez meanwhile feels the capture is a statement of intent, saying that "to have a footballer of Romelu's calibre at the club there had to be a lot of long-term planning.
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"And the potential of Romelu is huge", he added.
Lukaku will wear the number 10 shirt for Everton; he will head back to Belgium for the next few days before returning to Merseyside for Leon Osman's testimonial on Sunday.
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