Wednesday 18 May 2016 14:55, UK
Everton striker Romelu Lukaku will be on his way this summer, according to the player's father.
The 23-year-old has become one of the hottest properties in the Premier League after netting 25 goals in 46 games for Everton this season, and his father, Roger, expects him to leave Goodison Park before the European Championship starts next month.
"Everton are asking around £65m for Rom. I think a transfer will be done before the Euros," he told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.
"I hope and believe that Mino [Raiola, Lukaku's agent] is fair, and that he is acting in the best interest of the player.
"Romelu will decide his future, but agents have the last word most of the time. Whether the transfer has been sorted? Almost. I think it will be in place before the European Championship."
So where, if anywhere, will Lukaku go? We take a look at his options...
According to Sky Bet, Lukaku's most likely move is a switch back to Chelsea, the club he left for Everton two years ago following a successful loan spell at Goodison Park.
While it would be familiar territory for Lukaku, the Belgian left Stamford Bridge in the first place in pursuit of first-team football and Diego Costa still stands in his way in that regard.
Costa may not stay this summer, but getting him out of the door and bringing Lukaku in before the Euros - all while incoming boss Antonio Conte is preparing Italy for the tournament in France - would be a mightily impressive feat by the club's transfer department.
A switch to the French champions would represent the two things that Lukaku craves - first-team and Champions League football.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's impending departure means that a slot has opened right up for the Belgian to lead the line at the French club, while silverware is also pretty much a guarantee for a club that won the league by 31 points this season and are on track for a second consecutive domestic treble.
Whether Lukaku wants to leave the Premier League for what is arguably a less competitive league at this stage of his career, however, remains to be seen.
"The most suitable clubs for him are Bayern Munich or Manchester United," according to Lukaku's father.
While Bayern would offer Champions League football, they currently possess one of the top strikers in the world in Robert Lewandowski, and are unlikely to shell out such a vast sum on an alternative.
Ed Woodward and United will be seeking another landmark signing this summer, and Lukaku falls right into that category.
One potential stumbling block would be the possibility of Jose Mourinho - the man who sold Lukaku to Everton from Chelsea - taking over at Old Trafford, but the Belgian has indicated that he would be happy to work with his former boss again.
If he does switch to the Bundesliga, it's not only Bayern Munich that will be vying for his signature as Borussia Dortmund may potentially be seeking a replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gabon international is likely to command a large transfer fee should he depart, which could be reinvested into a move for Lukaku.
Dortmund, however, are well-known for operating shrewdly in the transfer market, and shelling out the kind of money it would take to bring in Lukaku would require a major change in policy.
Real Madrid looks to be Lukaku's most likely destination if he chooses to join La Liga, as he is unlikely to usurp Luis Suarez as Barcelona's main striker any time soon.
He would have to compete with Karim Benzema, the man who has led the line for a number of years at the Bernabeu, for a starting spot, but the Frenchman will be 29 this year and Lukaku could be the man to help spearhead their challenge against Barcelona next season.
Should Zinedine Zidane remain in charge at Real, a rebuilding job is likely to take place and Lukaku could be one of the first of a new generation of Galacticos.
Of course, amid all this there is still a chance that Lukaku could stay at Goodison Park this summer.
The club are currently managerless following the sacking of Roberto Martinez, and it will be a real coup if the new man coming in is able to convince the young Belgian to stay for another year.
If Lukaku is determined to leave, though, then the best thing could be to cash in as soon as possible and give the new manager the money to rebuild his squad ahead of the new season.
Where will Lukaku go? You can see all the Sky Bet odds HERE
