Lukaku faces Napoli exit after training dispute, Italian media report
Italian club Napoli have dropped Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku from their first-team squad until the end of the season, according to a report published by La Repubblica on Tuesday. The news has not yet been officially confirmed.
Lukaku had opted out of the national team’s training camp in the United States last month to focus on his fitness. He reportedly chose to follow an individual programme in Belgium, while Napoli expected him to return to Italy.
According to Het Nieuwsblad, Lukaku is now fully fit and ready to play. However, his decision to remain in Belgium appears to have damaged his future at the club, despite the fact that his medical condition was monitored daily and shared with Napoli.
La Repubblica reports that the striker is expected back in Naples on 20 April. A meeting will then take place, though the newspaper suggests the outcome is already a foregone conclusion. This season is likely to be the end of Lukaku’s time at Napoli, where he remains under contract until mid-2027.
Season derailed
A split would mean the 32-year-old could head into the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico without meaningful match fitness. That would be a major concern for Belgium, given Lukaku’s status as the country’s all-time top scorer, with 89 goals in 124 appearances.
Lukaku was sidelined for several months this season with a thigh injury, and his return to action proved difficult. He made his comeback at the end of January as a substitute against Juventus, but featured only sporadically thereafter. His only goal of the season came against Hellas Verona.
© PHOTO MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP
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