Premier League champions Chelsea have reportedly made their move for in-demand Everton striker Romelu Lukaku by matching Manchester United's £85m offer.
The Red Devils stole a march on their rivals by tabling a big-money bid for the Belgium international on Wednesday, which the Toffees are said to have accepted.
United's approach is thought to have caught Chelsea off guard, as they felt they were the frontrunners to land their former player and were waiting for the right time to open talks, with the future of unsettled Diego Costa still to be resolved.
According to numerous outlets, including BBC Sport and The Telegraph, Lukaku now has a straight choice between United and Chelsea as both teams have matched Everton's valuation.
It is claimed that the Blues are unwilling to pay Mino Raiola's agent fees in full, however, which could affect the 24-year-old's decision.
Raiola is understood to be keen for Lukaku to join Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, having previously helped push through deals for Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan last summer.
United are understood to have scheduled a medical for Lukaku in Los Angeles at some stage over the weekend, but the player will now likely delay any decision until next week.
Daniel Lewis
