Romelu Lukaku was met by a swarm of photographers and fans after he arrived in Italy to finalize his permanent move from Chelsea to Napoli.
The Belgian forward had to squeeze his way through the crowd but waved in acknowledgment of their admiration for him.
Romelu Lukaku To Napoli
Lukaku has agreed a three-year deal with the Neapolitans, which will run until the summer of 2027.
Reports indicate that Napoli will part with a fixed fee of €30 million plus €15 million in performance-based add-ons to secure the services of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.
The former Manchester United man has been linked with a move to Napoli for most parts of the summer, as manager Antonio Conte informed the club of his desire to have the Belgium international in his squad.
Why Is Antonio Conte Not Willing To Work With Victor Osimhen?
Conte isn’t willing to work with striker Victor Osimhen, having previously indicated that the Nigerian has an agreement with Napoli over a possible transfer from the club this summer.
Reports were claiming that a swap deal between Napoli and Chelsea involving Osimhen and Romelu Lukaku could be in the offing, but the involved parties failed to reach an agreement.
Due to the aforementioned reason, Antonio Conte opted for a reunion with Lukaku and the pair are apparently ready to continue their lovely relationship.
Where Has Antonio Conte Previously Coached Romelu Lukaku?
Conte last managed Romelu Lukaku during his successful stint at Inter Milan, where he won the Serie A title in the 2020/21 season.
Lukaku was in red-hot form under Antonio Conte that campaign, with the ex-Everton linchpin netting 30 goals and providing 10 assists in 44 appearances.
Following Conte’s exit from Inter Milan in the summer of 2021, Romelu Lukaku also departed the Nerazzuri to join Chelsea for a fee of €113 million.
The 31-year-old experienced a turbulent phase at Chelsea, as he was ostracized from the first team under erstwhile boss Thomas Tuchel following a viral interview with Sky Sports Italia in December 2021.
His comments about him having a connection with the fans of Inter Milan resulted in him falling out with supporters of the Blues, and he never found a way back after the issue.
Lukaku was loaned to Inter Milan for the 2022/23 season and he also spent the 2023/24 campaign at AS Roma on loan.
He made 47 appearances for the Giallorossi last season, scoring 21 goals and providing 4 assists across all competitions.
Romelu Lukaku rightly understands what it means to play in the Serie A, particularly under Antonio Conte and it is expected that his time at Napoli would be relatively successful.
Napoli
Napoli started the 2024/25 season with a 3-0 away loss to Hellas Verona but returned to winning ways in their second league game with an identical 3-0 victory over Bologna at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
They return to action on Saturday, August 31, with a home game against Parma. It is uncertain if Romelu Lukaku will feature in the fixture as he is yet to officially complete his move to Napoli.
The Neapolitans sit 11th on the Serie A table, with 3 points from 2 matches played thus far.
