Sunday, April 24, 2011

Liverpool Striker Target Romelu Lukaku Set To Make England Switch

Belgian international striker Romelu Lukaku is set to make a Barclays Premier League move this summer.

The teenage prodigy has attracted interest from the cream of Europe, with Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and Barcelona all monitoring the Anderlecht forward in the past year.

A handful of English clubs have been tracking the player for some time, with Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea all thought to be keen on bringing the player to their club.

In January, following the arrival of Kenny Dalglish as manager at Anfield, the Daily Mirror reported that Liverpool made contact with the Belgian club over a potential £20 million move.

The Purple and White resisted offers for the player dubbed 'the next Didier Drogba', but famed agent Fabrizio Ferrari has claimed that the player is set for a move to British shores at the end of the season.

“Juventus are interested in Lukaku but Anderlecht says they will sell him in the summer to a club in the Premier League, at his request, because he believes his characteristics are most suited to the Premier League," Ferrari told Tuttosport in Italy.

"He is a wonder, with his speed and technique; he reminds of the when I first saw the Brazilian striker Adriano at Inter Milan.”

Ferrari's comments back-up the words of Anderlecht general manager Herman van Holsbeeck, who stated at the start of the month that England would be the 17-year-olds most likely destination.

"We know that Real Madrid are interested, but I think his future would rather be in England," Van Holsbeeck told Sudpresse at the time.

"Teams like Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool are interested, but if two Manchester clubs enter the race it might be interesting. The Lukaku price in the market is €30 million (£26m)," Van Holsbeeck concluded."

Damien Comolli, director of football at Liverpool, was behind the Reds' pursuit of the player at the turn of the year, and will again be instrumental in attempting to lure the player to Merseyside alongside strikers such as Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.

Fenway Sports Group, the club's owners, proved in January that they are willing to back the manager financially in the transfer market, and could be called upon again to bring one of the brightest young talents in world football to Liverpool and continue the club's growing policy of developing young talent.

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