Lukaku lands in Italy to finalise move to Napoli and rekindle winning relationship with Conte

NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Excitement is ramping up in Naples over the rekindling of the winning combination of Romelu Lukaku and Antonio Conte.

Chelsea forward Lukaku landed in the Italian city on Wednesday to finalise his transfer to Napoli, and more than 100 fans greeted the Belgian international when he arrived at the club’s clinic to complete his medical.

They chanted his name and he smiled as he was escorted through the crowd. A fan fell to the ground and Lukaku stopped to help him up — much to the supporter’s delight.

Italian media reports that Lukaku will sign a three-year contract at Napoli, with the Serie A club paying Chelsea 30 million euros ($33 million) plus 30% of any future transfer fee.

Lukaku had his two most productive seasons under Conte at Inter.

The 31-year-old Lukaku has been training away from the main Chelsea squad in recent weeks as the club sought to find a buyer for a striker who cost $135 million in 2021 — the seventh most expensive soccer player at the time — but has been a flop in his second spell at Stamford Bridge.

He spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Inter Milan and last season on loan at Roma.

Chelsea bought Lukaku from Inter, shortly after the forward helped fire the Nerazzurri to the Serie A title, finishing as the team’s top scorer with 24 league goals.

Inter was then managed by Conte, who left at the same time as Lukaku. Conte returned to Italy two months ago and was tasked with overturning last year’s debacle at Napoli, which saw three different coaches in charge.

Napoli lost its first league match under Conte 3-0 but went on to win its second by the same scoreline last weekend — for its first Serie A victory since the beginning of April.

Napoli missed out on Europe last season with a 10th-place finish, coming a year after the southern squad won its first Serie A title since the days when Diego Maradona played for the club.

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