Everton are preparing to make Romelu Lukaku one of the club’s highest earners in the hope of convincing the striker to stay at Goodison Park.
Lukaku has made no secret of his desire to leave the Blues in his quest for Champions League football, but Ronald Koeman’s appointment as Roberto Martinez’s successor has seen efforts redoubled to retain his services.
The Belgium international, who joined Everton on a £28 million deal from Chelsea in 2014, continues to be linked with a host of European clubs, including Real Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
But Everton’s new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is preparing to arm Koeman with the biggest transfer budget in Goodison’s history as well as funds in their bid to keep hold of the club’s key players.
That will include the offer of an improved contract for Lukaku, believed to be worth £140,000 per week, in their efforts to ward off potential suitors.