Antonio Conte is reportedly keen on signing out-of-favour Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku for Napoli in the summer transfer window.
According to reputed French journalist Santi Aouna, Antonio Conte wants to reunite with Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku at Napoli this summer. The Belgian international is valued at £38 million, and it will be interesting to see if the Serie A giants are willing to pay that kind of money for him.
Lukaku was on loan at AS Roma this past season, and he was quite impressive for them. There is no doubt that he was one of the best attackers in Serie A, and the 31-year-old could prove to be a solid acquisition for Napoli as well.
The Belgian scored 21 goals and picked up four assists in all competitions. Napoli could certainly use a quality striker like him, especially with Victor Osimhen expected to leave the club amid his links with Premier League clubs. The Nigerian international has been linked with a move away from Napoli in recent months, and he is expected to join a big club this summer.
Romelu Lukaku has played under Antonio Conte
Antonio Conte needs to find the quality replacement for Osimhen, and Lukaku would be the ideal fit. He has the quality and the physicality to fill the void left by the Nigerian striker. Conte knows the player well, and he will be aware of the striker’s strengths and weaknesses.
Lukaku has played under the Italian manager in the past as well, and the experienced striker should be able to settle into his style of football easily. The Belgian international helped Antonio Conte win the league title with Inter Milan, and Napoli will hope that the reunion of the duo could help them push for major trophies next season.
The £38 million asking price seems quite steep, and it will be interesting to see if Chelsea are prepared to make a compromise on the release clause. Chelsea are under pressure to sell some players to balance the books. They will have to comply with the financial regulations this summer. It remains to be seen whether they are ready to accept a more reasonable offer for the Belgian striker in the coming weeks.
