Does he start for Liverpool or Dortmund mate? Unless they sell does he start for Monaco (and maybe he wants to play in front of more than 15k people also)
But yeah there is a variety of reasons why we 'could' sign him ahead of any of those clubs, and bigger ones too, ofc it's all if's and but's, but a small list
He has stated he wants to play and 'ruled out' a move to an 'elite' club - name-dropped both City and United when doing that - so if that is his thinking then it rules out probably 8-10 clubs where he doesn't feel he would get the game time to develop fully.
His price is rising by the performance - meaning that the 'lesser' clubs - as in teams of the level you suggested will be more and more unwilling to pay (ofc that almost certainly applies to us as well - unless Moshiri really wants to make a statement in his spending this summer - which sadly until it happens is all hopes and dreams on our part)
We have with Stones and now Lukaku a growing reputation for bringing in a young player - giving them maximum game time and then the player subsequently moving on for a huge fee (agents will like that) and to a 'big' club - players will like that
IF - Lukaku goes, then we have a absolutely gaping hole ast centre forward so the player will realise he has a chance to come into a team that plays one up front and be the absolute main man for that team - and one who has constantly had their striker up at the top of the premier league scoring charts.
Just to note - despite banging the drum for the lad, I actually don't think we will sign him - but not because we couldn't - but because i don't think the manager would spend the money needed for a longer term player (he wants instant results), i don't think Kenwright and Elstone would be able to get a deal like this over the line - as it would involve quick negotiations and they are risk averse - no vision - no thinking about the future with those two, just counting the pennies - and you don't sign one of the hottest prospects in world footy by trying to haggle down a team like Ajax over a month of negotiating (for example).
Effectively the Chairman and CEO of our club are very much 7th place - best of the rest is a great achievement people, the manager i think wants a year or two of performing 'above' expectations and then he wants a job which is less a project, and the owner in Moshiri talks a very good talk but as of yet their is no actual proof on the playing side that things are substantially different (and until he changes the people who negotiate the deals their wont be)
