Chelsea bid £50m to lure Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge

Chelsea are ready to test Everton’s resolve by making a bid for Romelu Lukaku. The Stamford Bridge side have had two bids rejected for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata and so will pick up their interest in Lukaku.

It is understood that Chelsea will lodge a bid of around £50m which will fall way short of Everton’s £65m valuation of the 23-year-old.

New Chelsea boss Antonio Conte made Morata, who was at Juventus last season, his No1 target but after failing with reported bids of £50m and £62.7m, they have turned their attention to Lukaku.

Everton manager Ronald Koeman is determined to keep hold of the Belgium international and so the Blues are sure to reject the approach.

Lukaku is on an extended holiday following his exploits in Euro 2016 and is not expected to return to Everton until later this week.

But on his return he could find himself at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war.

Chelsea sold Lukaku to the Blues for £28m in the summer of 2014 when Jose Mourinho was manager but the ECHO understands that high ranking officials at Stamford Bridge have retained an admiration for Everton’s top scorer.

And on the back of Lukaku’s 25-goal season last term, the London club will now attempt to bring him back.

[LiverpoolEcho]