Romelu Lukaku will play again for Napoli’s first team? According to La Repubblica, the answer to this question would be negative. After choosing to stay in Belgium to heal a hip injury, despite his club recommending he return to Naples, the center-forward of the Red Devils may no longer wear the Italian club’s jersey, according to the Italian newspaper. The newspaper specifies that Napoli would like to part ways with the Belgian international (124 caps, 89 goals) as early as this summer, as Lukaku’s contract expires in June 2027.
This was confirmed by RTB, indicating that a meeting is planned early next week between the 32-year-old forward and his coach Antonio Conte. According to the Belgian media, Lukaku did not comply with the ultimatum set by his club to return to Naples before March 31.
” He knows there will be consequences”
“Romelu decided to stay in Belgium to train and recover from his injury,” explained Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna on the DAZN platform before the match between Partenopei and AC Milan on April 6 (1-0). “We are not happy, as we would have liked to discuss with him here in Naples. He should return next week, and he knows there will be consequences,” added the Napoli executive.
After a successful first season under the guidance of Antonio Conte, who was behind his recruitment at Napoli, and crowned with a Serie A title, Lukaku, hindered by a hamstring injury between August 2025 and January 2026, has only played seven matches in all competitions this season, scoring just one goal.
If confirmed, this sidelining could prove detrimental for the Belgian forward in the lead-up to the North American World Cup, four years after the Qatar edition where he started recovering before coming off the bench twice, unable to prevent the Red Devils’ elimination in the group stage.
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