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Many questions have arisen regarding Romelu Lukaku's future. In recent weeks, the media has been intensely speculating that Lukaku would become the new member of Napoli, but no one was entirely sure if that would come to pass. In the end, the Belgian striker signed with the club he wanted to join. It seems that Napoli is building a serious project, and Lukaku will likely be a key weapon for the team this season.
Exactly six days after Chelsea and Napoli shook hands on a deal for €30,000,000 plus 30% of the proceeds from any future sale, Big Rom has signed a contract with the Azzurri until 2027. Given that he enjoyed some of the most prolific moments of his career while playing under Antonio Conte in Serie A, it's clear that the arrival of the Belgian has sparked serious excitement under Vesuvius.
The Belgian striker ruthlessly tore through opposition defenses while at Inter and under Conte's guidance from 2019 to 2021. No other coach has seen Lukaku score more goals than Conte did (64 goals in 95 matches), and he was never as deadly or inspired as he was under the fiery Italian. Lukaku scored or assisted a goal every 96 minutes (64 goals and 17 assists in 7,832 minutes on the pitch).
In the last thirty or so hours of the transfer window, Napoli must decide what to do with Victor Osimhen, who is unlikely to surpass Gonzalo Higuain's record transfer to Juventus for €90,000,000 and become the club's record sale. Aurelio De Laurentiis has an offer from Al Ahli for €65,000,000, while the Nigerian forward stands to earn €30,000,000 per season from the Saudi club. However, the sharp-eyed striker does not want to move to the Middle East until his condition is met; a fixed release clause after each season.
So, by the end of today or during the last day of the transfer window, we should see a major showdown between Al Ahli and Chelsea for the Nigerian. Chelsea, having spent €261,000,000 this summer, is the biggest spender of the transfer window, but a world-class center forward is something they have been missing for years. Osimhen is, for many, one of the best strikers today, and a player who can change a lot in the game of any club.
Romelu Lukaku on Chelsea situation
In a media interview, Lukaku emphasized that he is satisfied with his physical condition but not with the situation. The Belgian was not happy with the coach's decision, but he accepted things as they are. Lukaku expects great things from Napoli, given that it is a club with potential and one that can achieve huge things this season. After a disappointing previous season, Napoli's executives are keen to avoid a repeat of the same scenario, especially after winning Serie A the season before.
"Physically I'm doing great. I'm just not very happy with the situation, but that's normal," Lukaku said.
"I think the boss has decided to play a different formation but I have to stick at it and get on with it professionally.
I'm not happy with the situation but it's my job and I mustn't give up."
Romelu Lukaku is widely considered to have been at his best while playing for Inter, a club he joined for €80 million four years ago. However, his time at Inter was relatively short as Lukaku wanted to complete his move to Chelsea, signing with the London club in 2021 for £97.5 million. The talented forward was disappointed with his return to Chelsea and quickly rejoined Inter on loan. Injuries that marked his new stint at Inter proved to be a hindrance, leading him to move to Roma on loan last season. It seems that the Belgian forward regrets having left Inter in the first place.
In 2021, Lukaku expressed his dissatisfaction with how his departure from Inter Milan was handled. He reflected that the manner in which he left the club and communicated with Inter fans was not ideal. He felt that both the timing of his departure and his communication were problematic. Despite this, Lukaku reiterated his love for Inter Milan and his hope to return to play for them in the future, emphasizing his deep appreciation for Italy.
It will be interesting to see how Lukaku performs at Napoli. He has played for major Serie A clubs before, and Napoli will be just another addition to that list. There are high expectations for Romelu, and fans are hopeful that he will shine if he can avoid injuries. It is well-known that the Belgian forward has struggled with injuries for a long time.
Napoli wants to achieve greater success this year, and at least secure playing in the Champions League next season.
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