The excitement in Naples is palpable as the winning combination of Romelu Lukaku and Antonio Conte is set to reignite. On Wednesday, Chelsea forward Lukaku landed in the Italian city to finalize his transfer to Napoli, greeted by over 100 ecstatic fans who chanted his name. The Belgian international, upon arriving at the club’s clinic for his medical, even stopped to help a fan who had fallen to the ground, further endearing himself to the supporters.
According to Italian media reports, Lukaku is set to sign a three-year contract with Napoli. The Serie A club has reportedly paid Chelsea €30 million ($33 million) plus 30% of any future transfer fee for the striker. Lukaku enjoyed his most successful seasons under Conte’s leadership at Inter Milan, making this reunion highly anticipated.
Lukaku’s return to Serie A comes after a less-than-successful spell at Chelsea. The 31-year-old striker, who cost Chelsea a hefty $135 million in 2021 – the seventh most expensive footballer at the time – has struggled to live up to expectations in his second stint at Stamford Bridge. He spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Inter Milan and last season on loan at Roma.
It was shortly after Lukaku helped fire Inter Milan to the Serie A title in 2021, scoring 24 league goals and becoming the team’s top scorer, that Chelsea bought him from Inter. However, this reunion didn’t go as planned, with both Lukaku and Conte departing the club at the same time.
Conte’s arrival at Napoli two months ago aimed to overturn the club’s disappointing performance last season. The club saw three different coaches take the helm in 2022, resulting in a 10th-place finish in Serie A and missing out on European competition. After suffering a 3-0 defeat in their opening league match under Conte, Napoli secured their first Serie A victory since the beginning of April with a 3-0 win last weekend.
The arrival of Lukaku, paired with Conte’s tactical expertise, has sparked hope for Napoli fans. With a star striker and a proven manager leading the charge, the club hopes to recapture the glory days of Diego Maradona, when they won their first Serie A title in 1987.
