Overview
- Late May 2026 Romelu Lukaku publicly apologised to manager Antonio Conte, said his relationship with the club is repaired, and declared he wants to remain at Napoli for the final year of his contract.
- The spat began in March when Lukaku stayed in Belgium to train without initial club consent, which led Napoli to freeze him out and fine him before later permitting an approved rehab program there.
- A pre‑season muscle injury left Lukaku with only 64 minutes and one goal in 2025–26, a lack of playing time that underpins questions about his role at Napoli next season.
- Lukaku is in Belgium’s 2026 World Cup squad and says he feels fitter than before the 2022 tournament, framing the World Cup as a personal priority and a likely inflection point for transfer talks.
- Napoli has signalled it may sell to protect the player’s market value and analysts point to tactical fit and his high salary as reasons a post‑World Cup transfer remains the most probable outcome.