Romelu Lukaku is enjoying a strong season with Napoli, proving his doubters wrong after a turbulent second spell at Chelsea.
The Belgian striker, now 31, has netted nine goals under Antonio Conte as Napoli pushes for the Serie A title.
His resurgence in Italy comes after a frustrating few years, marked by struggles at Chelsea and loan spells at Inter Milan and Roma.
Chelsea Return That Went Wrong
Back in 2021, Lukaku made a high-profile return to Chelsea for £98 million from Inter Milan, a move that was expected to make him the focal point of the club’s attack.
However, despite a promising start, things quickly soured.
He fell out of favor, leading to consecutive loan moves and, eventually, a permanent exit to Napoli in August 2024 for £30 million.
During his final months at Chelsea, Lukaku was forced to train with the so-called ‘bomb squad’—a group of unwanted players isolated from the first-team squad.
He had endured the same treatment the previous summer and now claims the club deliberately tried to tarnish his image.
Feeling Undermined at Chelsea
Reflecting on his experience at Stamford Bridge, Lukaku revealed in an interview with Corriere dello Sport that he wasn’t the only player cast aside.
“I wasn’t alone at Chelsea,” he said. “Aubameyang and Ziyech were also pushed out.
We had to change in the youth locker room. That’s just how business works—when a club doesn’t want you anymore, they make it clear.
But if you want to leave, even for a serious reason, they drag it out until the last moment. They wear you down.”
He also pointed out how clubs use their media influence to control narratives around players.
“It doesn’t take much to create the wrong image of someone.
I’ve seen things I never imagined, and one day, I’d like to share my story with young players so they know who’s really working for them and who’s working against them.”
Learning from Antonio Conte
Despite his struggles in England, Lukaku credits Antonio Conte for helping him develop an essential part of his game while at Inter Milan.
“Playing with my back to goal—I hated it,” he admitted.
“Conte told me, ‘If you don’t improve this, you can’t play for me. No alternatives.’”
The tough love paid off, as Lukaku refined his hold-up play and became a more complete forward, a skill that continues to serve him well at Napoli.
Proving Himself Again
Lukaku’s turbulent club career has seen him move between England and Italy multiple times.
He first joined Chelsea as a teenager but failed to score in his first stint, eventually finding success on loan at West Brom and Everton.
His form at Goodison Park earned him a £90 million transfer to Manchester United, where he endured constant scrutiny, with critics accusing him of being overweight.
“In England, they had the wrong idea about me,” he said. “They thought I was lazy.
But I never reacted to the criticism—I just did my job. In Italy, the perception is different.
Here, I’m seen as a hard worker. Right now, I’m in even better shape than when I was at Inter. I was 101kg then; now I’m 99kg.”
Relationship with Jose Mourinho
Lukaku has played under Jose Mourinho at both Chelsea and Manchester United and worked with him again at Roma last season.
Despite speculation of friction between the two, Lukaku dismissed the rumors.
“Nothing happened between me and Jose,” he explained.
“He’s a winner. I’ve had him as a coach twice, and I’ll never speak badly about him. At Roma, he didn’t have a top team, but he still took them far.”
Plans for the Future
Although still only 31, Lukaku has already played 15 full seasons of professional football, having broken into Anderlecht’s first team at just 16.
Despite the physical demands of the game, he has no plans to retire from international duty and remains committed to Belgium.
“I’ve never thought about leaving the national team,” he said. “But when I do retire from club football, I won’t become a coach.
I’ve already decided how I want to finish my career—at Anderlecht, my favorite team. I promised my son.”
From Chelsea exile to Serie A resurgence, Lukaku’s journey has been anything but smooth.
But with his career back on track in Italy, he’s proving once again why he remains one of Europe’s most formidable strikers.