Napoli Nears Romelu Lukaku Deal with Chelsea

Napoli is closing in on a deal to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea after making significant progress in negotiations. The 31-year-old Belgian striker will join the Italian club for approximately £30 million on a permanent transfer which will also include a sell-on clause. Lukaku’s potential move could pave the way for Victor Osimhen to switch to Chelsea.

The Nigerian forward interests Chelsea with the club preferring an initial loan arrangement over a permanent transfer. This scenario might allow Osimhen to join Chelsea on loan while Lukaku moves to Napoli. Napoli’s pursuit of Lukaku stems largely from their manager, Antonio Conte. Conte previously managed Lukaku during his successful tenure at Inter Milan, where the striker had two highly productive seasons from 2019 to 2021.

Their past successful partnership at Inter has driven Napoli’s determination to bring Lukaku to the club. Lukaku initially rejoined Chelsea in 2021 for a hefty fee of £97.5 million but struggled to regain his top form. After his return, Lukaku spent the following two seasons on loan, first with Inter Milan and then with AS Roma. He did not meet expectations during his stint back at Chelsea and has not featured for the Blues since May 2022.

Chelsea now prioritizes offloading players to manage their overcrowded squad. After making 11 new signings this summer, the squad has expanded to over 40 players. Consequently, Chelsea aims to streamline their roster by moving on several players with Lukaku’s transfer to Napoli being a key part of this strategy.