{"id":335453,"date":"2017-07-11T06:30:13","date_gmt":"2017-07-11T06:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=335453"},"modified":"2017-07-11T06:30:13","modified_gmt":"2017-07-11T06:30:13","slug":"paul-pogba-played-a-big-role-in-my-utd-move-lukaku","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/07\/paul-pogba-played-a-big-role-in-my-utd-move-lukaku\/","title":{"rendered":"Paul Pogba played a ‘big role’ in my Utd move – Lukaku"},"content":{"rendered":"
Romelu Lukaku says “best friend” Paul Pogba played a “big role” in his decision to sign for Manchester United.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old\u00a0has joined United from Everton\u00a0on a five-year contract for an initial \u00a375m, with the deal believed to include \u00a315m in add-ons.<\/p>\n
Striker Lukaku said he and Pogba, who moved to Old Trafford from Juventus last year, are “always together”.<\/p>\n
Speaking to\u00a0MUTV<\/i>, the Belgium international added that he had “the hunger to win trophies”.<\/p>\n
Pogba, who has referred to himself as ‘Agent P’, last week posted pictures on\u00a0social media<\/i>\u00a0of him and Lukaku together.<\/p>\n
Lukaku said: “He is one of my best friends, and he is my neighbour as well. We are always together on a daily basis so he would explain to me how things were going.<\/p>\n
“When he signed for United, to have witnessed that, it really triggered something in my brain and I knew that if one day I had the chance to sign then I would not say no.”<\/p>\n
Lukaku scored 25 Premier League goals for Everton last season, but in March said he did not “want to stay at the same level”.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Monday, he said: “You just know and realise how big the club is, and the hunger it has to win trophies.<\/p>\n
“I would like to say, at the end of my career, that I played for a team that has always challenged for trophies and this is what the club has always done.<\/p>\n
To be here now is a blessing and I will not take this opportunity for granted.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
United boss Jose Mourinho was manager of Chelsea when they sold Lukaku to Everton for \u00a328m in July 2014.<\/p>\n
The striker spent the 2013-14 season on loan at Goodison before signing a five-year deal that summer.<\/p>\n
Chelsea matched United’s offer to sign him from Everton, but Lukaku has been reunited with Mourinho.<\/p>\n
“I am really looking forward to it, that is the most exciting part,” he said. “We have a really good relationship and I always dreamed to play under him since I was 10.<\/p>\n
“To have the opportunity at 24 to work under him and to be part of his plans for challenges for trophies is exciting.<\/p>\n
“I think he is a manager to help us to win trophies and I can’t wait to start working under him again.”<\/p>\n
Lukaku has linked up with United on their pre-season tour of the United States, and trained with his new team-mates on Monday.<\/p>\n
His move to the Red Devils means he will play alongside midfielder Marouane Fellaini for club and country.<\/p>\n
Lukaku said: “He spoke to me two days ago and sent me a message saying: ‘Now you will discover how big and how great the club is.’ I said to him: ‘I have already realised it a little!’<\/p>\n
“To have a guy who plays with me in the national team and one of my best friends in life in my team is great to get to know the players.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Romelu Lukaku says “best friend” Paul Pogba played a “big role” in his decision to sign for Manchester United. The 24-year-old\u00a0has joined United from Everton\u00a0on a five-year contract for an initial \u00a375m, with the deal believed to include \u00a315m in add-ons. Striker Lukaku said he and Pogba, who moved to Old Trafford from Juventus last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[142],"tags":[103,104,8444,8972],"yoast_head":"\n