Everton keen to get Lukaku back
Lukaku has reportedly trained with Belgian side Anderlecht as he looks to regain fitness following his post-World Cup layoff.
Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea squad are currently on a pre-season tour of Austria, and take on Werder Bremen in Germany next week.
Lukaku was given extended leave after the World Cup to recover but has reportedly decided to train with his former employers, as he looks to end his Chelsea frustrations.
Everton — where Lukaku successfully spent last season on loan — continue to monitor the situation, as they continued on the transfer trail yesterday.
The Toffees are on the brink of announcing their second summer signing as Ferencvaros midfielder Muhamed Besic has joined the Toffees on their pre-season trip to Thailand. Besic, 21, represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup and has been a target for boss Roberto Martinez.
“The next few days will allow Mo to meet the players,” the Spaniard said.
Martinez was coy on the issue of Lukaku, though.
“Rom fits in really, really well at Goodison. We created a fantastic bond with the player, and the player with the fans, and that is something that we would love to extend,” he said.
“It is difficult to say because he is not our player and I would never be disrespectful in that respect. He enjoyed his time at Everton, he developed as a footballer and we hope the parent club, Chelsea, were very happy with that loan relationship.
“Whatever happens in the future, at the moment there is not much we can speak about.”
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard must make a decision on his England future after yesterday completing his move to New York City FC, the new Major League Soccer franchise.
The 36-year-old left Chelsea at the end of last season after 13 seasons and a club record 211 goals.
The midfielder becomes New York City FC’s fourth player and second major summer signing following the arrival of David Villa from Atletico Madrid.
Lampard, who has signed a two-year deal with his new club, made 649 appearances for Chelsea since signing from West Ham in 2001. He has played 106 times for England, scoring 29 goals.
He signed a one-year contract extension with the Blues in May 2013 after mulling over a move to Los Angeles Galaxy, who he will now play in opposition from next spring.
Lampard is still to determine what the immediate future holds, given his season begins in 2015. Lampard was in England’s 23-man squad for the World Cup in Brazil but is still to decide on his international future.
“In terms of England, I’ve had a bit of time after the World Cup which was obviously a huge disappointment,” he added.
“I now need to think about England and think about what I want to do next. Now I know where I’ll be playing my football next year I can make that decision.”
Lampard and Ashley Cole have both left Chelsea as Mourinho continues to reshape his squad, and yesterday midfielder Lucas Piazon moved from the Blues to Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt on a season-long loan.
The versatile Brazilian has found it difficult to break into the first team at Stamford Bridge since his arrival in 2012 and spent last season on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, where he scored 11 goals in 29 appearances.
Elsewhere, Swansea have announced the signing of Ecuador international Jefferson Montero.
The 24-year-old winger, who started all three of Ecuador’s group games against France, Switzerland and Honduras during the World Cup in Brazil, has agreed a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
Montero went straight into training with the Swans yesterday after passing a medical. He has moved to the Liberty Stadium from Mexican club Morelia.
He becomes Swansea’s latest new signing of a busy summer, quickly following Gylfi Sigurdsson, whose move from Spurs was confirmed this week, while other new arrivals have included ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and former Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis.
Midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo has left Swansea to join Primera Division side Rayo Vallecano.
