Everton smash record fee for Lukaku

Everton have signed Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku for a club-record fee of £28m.

The Belgium international, who spent last season on loan at Goodison Park and was their leading scorer with 16 goals in 33 appearances to help them finish fifth, has agreed a five-year contract.

Reports of the move began emerging in the 21-year-old’s homeland earlier on Wednesday and the striker tweeted a picture of himself on a plane with the message “Time to write a new chapter.....”.

Lukaku was manager Roberto Martinez’s primary summer transfer target and while the fee may have blown their previous record – £15million for Lukaku’s compatriot Marouane Fellaini when he moved from Standard Liege in 2008 – the Toffees boss believes the striker’s age and potential mean it was worth paying.

The press conference to unveil Lukaku was delayed by more than 80 minutes as Everton were still waiting for a final piece of the player’s paperwork to be returned to the club.