Romelu Lukaku has incurred a substantial fine of €150,000 from Napoli, representing 20% of his gross monthly earnings, fueling speculation that his departure from the club this summer is all but certain.
The Belgian striker recently returned to Naples after an extended period away, reportedly over two weeks, during which he met with club director Giovanni Manna on Monday. Napoli had permitted Lukaku to return to Antwerp but imposed the significant financial penalty for his unauthorized absence.
With reports from multiple sources, including TMW, indicating that Lukaku’s exit is now inevitable, his agent, Federico Pastorello, was also involved in Monday’s discussions. Pastorello is expected to focus on finding a new club for his client, who still has one year remaining on his contract at the Stadio Maradona.
Lukaku, 32, has had a challenging season marked by a significant muscle injury early on, which hampered his participation in the first half of the campaign. He has managed to score only one goal in seven appearances this season, none of which were as a starter.
While Lukaku reportedly did not meet with Antonio Conte on Monday, the striker is aiming to be fit for Napoli’s final three Serie A matches. He is set to spend the upcoming two weeks in Belgium to fully recover his fitness.
English Translation:
Romelu Lukaku has been handed a €150,000 fine by Napoli, which equates to 20% of his gross monthly salary. This development suggests that the Belgian striker’s departure from the club this summer is becoming increasingly probable.
Lukaku has returned to Naples following a period of over two weeks spent away from the club. Upon his return, he met with club director Giovanni Manna on Monday. Napoli had granted Lukaku permission to travel to Antwerp but decided to withhold 20% of his monthly gross salary due to his unapproved absence.
Numerous sources, including TMW, are reporting that Lukaku’s exit in the summer now appears unavoidable. His agent, Federico Pastorello, was also present at the meeting on Monday and is reportedly tasked with finding a new club for the striker, whose contract with Napoli has one year remaining.
The 32-year-old Lukaku suffered a serious muscle injury at the start of the season, which kept him sidelined for the initial part of the campaign. He has scored just one goal in seven appearances this season, without starting any of those matches.
According to various reports, Lukaku did not meet with Antonio Conte on Monday. However, the striker is hopeful of being fit for the final three Serie A games of the season and plans to spend the next two weeks in Belgium to regain his full fitness.