It’s been a while since Romelu Lukaku has been cleared to return from his massive pre-season thigh injury, but he has been utilized very little so far, logging 41 minutes throughout 5 appearances. His comeback hasn’t been triumphant. He missed a big chance against Juventus and PK during the shoot-out versus Como in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PressReader), the striker is set for a very meaningful homestretch of the season to determine his status for the World Cup and his future. He aims to play more regularly to improve his fitness, but Antonio Conte doesn’t consider him in great shape. The Partenopei have to fight tooth and nail to make the top four.
If Lukaku doesn’t manage to right the ship in the next few months, his permanence at Napoli could be in question. He’s one of the highest-paid players in the squad, making €6M annually. It’d be hard to justify keeping him in a smaller role at that rate, especially if the Azzurri bought out Rasmus Hojlund for €44M. It’d happen automatically if they qualified for the UEFA Champions League, but they’ll likely do it regardless.
Saudi clubs have never continuously tried to woo the Belgian colossus in recent years. In addition, he alluded that he’d like to finish his career at Anderlecht. However, he doesn’t feel ready for that.
It’d require a tactical adjustment, but the fit next to Hojlund would be smooth, so the reasons for his current role are merely physical. Conte has high standards in that regard, so there’s no telling how long it’ll take. As for summer, it’d be burdensome to have two pricey strikers if the main plan is to use just one.
