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LONDON. — Romelu Lukaku claims his desire to play in the Champions League soccer and Everton’s failure to attract top-class players has convinced him not to sign a new contract with the English Premier League club.

Lukaku, who is the joint top-scorer in the English Premier League with 19 goals, has told Everton he will not sign a new deal which would have made him the club’s first £100 000-plus-a-week player.

Everton are still hoping to convince their star to agree an extended deal, but the 23-year-old Belgian striker appears determined to force a transfer to a bigger club.

“To do that, you need the platform to show yourself,” he said when asked about his desire to be ranked along with the world’s best forward.

“Then you are talking about Champions League and whatever types of games. I don’t want to go into details on that but you just follow the path that is in front of you. Whatever type of situation, I just try to deliver.

“But as a team you want to be the best. I want my team to be the best. At the end of the day, the big aim in football is to win as many titles as you can, so we need to try more, give a bit more. — AFP.