Lukaku won’t return to Naples, date set. Club annoyed, measures on the way

Lukaku case in Naples: the Azzurri striker did not return to Castel Volturno from Belgium’s training camp, as requested instead by partenopei coach Antonio Conte. Instead, Lukaku preferred to stay and train in Brussels to be close to his family. The player had been given the go-ahead by Belgium coach Garcia not to take part in the upcoming friendlies against the United States and Mexico to catch up with his lagging condition, and in Naples everyone took it for granted that he would return under the Vesuvio to resume training.

Lukaku instead decided to stay in Belgium to follow a personalized work path with a view to the World Cup and the end of the season with Napoli. An unagreed choice, which the player reportedly communicated only this morning, and which according to rumors has greatly irritated the Campania club.

Conte wants to have him in the best possible condition for the Serie A match against AC Milan and wanted him immediately at Castel Volturno. According to Sky reports, Lukaku is expected to return to Italy next Monday. According to Il Mattino, Napoli is not ruling out measures for the choice made by the player, who despite being exempt from commitments with the Red Devils did not show up in Naples: a hefty fine is possible. Belgium technical director Vincent Mannaert had thus explained Lukaku’s situation.

“Lukaku carefully considered what was best for the rest of his season. Given the flights and transportation involved, he logically concluded that it would not be ideal for him to continue training at a fast pace. The good news is that there are no health problems. Rather, it is a matter of figuring out how best to prepare himself in the final months: both for the season finale with Napoli and for the World Cup. It was a difficult choice, but he made the decision. We know two things: that Romelu knows his body very well and that he really wants to be present at the World Cup.”