Chelsea and Manchester United are locked in a battle to secure the services of in-demand striker Romelu Lukaku.
Earlier in the week it seemed certain that the Belgium international was on his way to Old Trafford after United tabled a bid of €85m.
But news has emerged of a late bid by Premier League champions Chelsea to lure the player they let go three years ago, having bought him from Anderlecht in 2011 before loaning him out to West Bromwich Albion and Everton and ultimately selling him on to the Toffees.
The Stamford Bridge outfit have matched United’s £75m bid and according to Sky Sports this is his preferred destination.
However, it is understood that his agent Mino Raiola is keen to see his player move to Manchester United, who are in the market for a striker.
Red Devils’ boss Jose Mourinho needs firepower up front with Zlatan Ibrahimovic having left the club, Wayne Rooney set to depart and a proposed deal with Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morato apparently dead in the water.
Chelsea too need a goal-scorer, with manager Antonio Conte having told Diego Costa that he is surplus to requirements.
It seemed early on Thursday as if United were edging closer to a deal for their primary summer target in a move which would see the Belgian reunited with manager Mourinho.
However, the significant progress they thought they had made was knocked back by the Merseysiders, who countered claims a deal had been agreed.
That left Chelsea, who appeared front-runners in the race to re-sign their former player, with an opening to still make a late intervention.
The man himself, who has regularly voiced his desire to play in the Champions League, remained in Los Angeles as speculation over his future mounts.
United are due to fly to California on Sunday to start their pre-season tour against the Los Angeles Galaxy the following weekend and the 24-year-old, who has been on holiday on the west coast of the United States, is staying in America for the time being.
Lukaku has been holidaying with close friend and United midfielder Paul Pogba and early on Friday morning United's €100m world-record signing posted an Instagram story of the pair training together at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
