Chelsea set their asking price for out-of-favour striker Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku seals permanent move to Napoli from Chelsea

Romelu Lukaku’s Chelsea journey has officially concluded as the Belgian striker secures a permanent move to Napoli.

Announced on Thursday, the transfer marks Lukaku’s return to Italy, where he previously thrived under the guidance of Antonio Conte at Inter Milan.

The 31-year-old forward, who first joined Chelsea in 2011 as a teenager, has had a career marked by highs and lows.

After a series of loan spells and eventual permanent transfers to West Bromwich Albion and Everton, Lukaku returned to Stamford Bridge in 2021 for a hefty €115 million fee.

However, his second stint at Chelsea never quite lived up to expectations. Despite a promising start, Lukaku managed just eight Premier League goals in his first season back with the Blues.

Loan spells at Inter Milan and AS Roma followed, where Lukaku once again showcased his abilities in Serie A.

At Roma, he netted 13 league goals last season and played a pivotal role in their journey to the Europa League semifinals, adding seven more goals in European competition.

Napoli’s decision to bring Lukaku back to Italy reunites him with Antonio Conte, who now manages the Serie A champions.

The duo previously enjoyed a successful partnership at Inter, where Lukaku’s 47 goals in 72 appearances played a key role in securing the 2020-21 Serie A title.

Conte’s faith in Lukaku, combined with the striker’s comfort in the Italian league, suggests that Napoli might have pulled off a significant coup.

For Chelsea, Lukaku’s departure is part of a broader effort to streamline the squad as the club undergoes a rebuild under new management.

With Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell among others also expected to move on, Chelsea is clearly looking to refresh its ranks after a turbulent few seasons.

As Lukaku embarks on this new chapter with Napoli, fans and pundits alike will be watching closely to see if the powerful forward can recapture the form that made him one of Europe’s most feared strikers.

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