Napoli’s recent signing of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea for £30m has garnered attention in the football world. The move was driven by Napoli manager Antonio Conte, who previously worked with Lukaku during their successful stint at Inter Milan from 2019 to 2021. Lukaku rejoined Chelsea in 2021 for a staggering £97.5m but was subsequently loaned out to Inter and Roma in the past two seasons.
Lukaku’s time at Chelsea can be described as nothing short of a disaster. Despite the initial excitement surrounding his return to the club he supported as a young boy, Lukaku failed to live up to the hefty price tag. Chelsea had high hopes that Lukaku would be the missing piece in their hard-working, defensive team under Thomas Tuchel, who had recently won the Champions League. The team lacked real firepower up front, and Lukaku was expected to provide that.
However, Lukaku’s frustrations over game time, stemming from an ankle injury in December 2021, led to an unsanctioned interview with Sky Italia. In the interview, Lukaku expressed his belief that the top three teams in the world were “Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich.” He also revealed his struggle to accept his exit from Inter, questioned Tuchel’s system, and admitted to being unhappy. This interview strained his relationship with the club and its supporters.
Lukaku later apologized through the club, with the involvement of former director Marina Granovskaia and manager Tuchel. However, the damage had already been done, and Lukaku’s form suffered as he lost the backing of the Chelsea supporters. It became clear that Lukaku wanted to leave, and Chelsea’s new ownership was willing to accommodate his departure. However, they faced difficulties in finding a buyer and ultimately resorted to loaning him out to Inter and Roma.
The recent sale of Lukaku to Napoli for £30m, coupled with the loan moves, helped Chelsea recoup a total of £45m. While this may seem like a significant amount, it pales in comparison to the initial investment made in Lukaku by Roman Abramovich. Lukaku’s time at Chelsea will undoubtedly be remembered as a waste of both time and money.
In light of Lukaku’s departure, Chelsea is also in talks to sign Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen from Napoli. This potential transfer would help Napoli offset their spending and further reshape their squad. As the transfer window continues, it remains to be seen how both clubs will fare in their respective pursuits.
Overall, the saga of Romelu Lukaku’s time at Chelsea is a cautionary tale of the unpredictability of football transfers and the challenges faced by clubs when trying to offload underperforming players. Despite being one of the most prolific strikers in European football, Lukaku’s return to Chelsea failed to meet expectations, leaving both the player and the club disappointed.