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Romelu Lukaku will once again change addresses. The summer saga of the Belgian striker, which seemed to be back on stable footing in Naples after years of constant moving, has taken a new turn. The international with 89 goals for his national team did not show up for the start of training with Napoli. The message is clear: he will no longer wear the azzurro shirt.
The information, initially leaked by the Italian press, was confirmed on Thursday by several Belgian media outlets including DH and Walfoot. Lukaku will leave Campania "100%" this summer. The question remains: where will he go? And that's where AS Monaco enters the picture.
The information, initially leaked by the Italian press, was confirmed on Thursday by several Belgian media outlets including DH and Walfoot.
Having arrived in Naples last summer in a swap deal involving Victor Osimhen, Lukaku will have spent only one season under Mount Vesuvius. A brief stint, even for a player accustomed to packing his bags: Chelsea, West Brom, Everton, Manchester United, Inter Milan, AS Roma, Naples... the Belgian collects jerseys like others collect postcards. At every stop, he has left his mark on the scoreboard, with 307 club goals in all competitions.
Naples wants to cut losses, Monaco wants to make a splash
The club from the Principality, always on the lookout for an international-class striker to support—or even succeed—Breel Embolo, has ticked Lukaku's name. ASM has a comfortable transfer budget after a season without European football and wants to make a statement in the market. President Dmitry Rybolovlev and the Monégasque sporting director know that attracting a player of Lukaku's caliber, even at 33, would send a strong signal to Ligue 1.
Naples, for its part, won't give anything away. The Italian club is demanding at least €10 million to avoid a heavy loss on a deal that was put together at a high price the previous summer. An amount that doesn't scare Monaco, but which opens the door to other suitors. The club from the Principality will also have to contend with the wage demands of a player accustomed to Premier League salaries, even though Lukaku might be willing to make an effort to relaunch his career in a less exposed league.
Anderlecht and MLS lurking
RSC Anderlecht has also made contact with the player's entourage. A return to his roots that dreams of purple fans, but it hits the wage reality: Lukaku earns an annual net salary that few Belgian clubs can afford without a financial package and a personal effort from the player. MLS, meanwhile, continues to court the Red Devil. Several franchises, including Los Angeles and Miami, are following the situation closely.
Lukaku's stated priority, however, remains Europe. At 33, with a 2026 World Cup to prepare for with the Red Devils, the Antwerp native doesn't want to exile himself too early to a second-tier league. The World Cup factor weighs heavily: Domenico Tedesco needs a Lukaku in form, not a player in a golden pre-retirement across the Atlantic.
A calculated gamble
Recruiting Lukaku means accepting a certain level of uncertainty. The player is coming off a mixed Neapolitan season, marked by tensions with Antonio Conte at the end of the campaign and a decline in efficiency after the winter break. But his physique, his experience at the highest level, and his ability to pin down defenses remain arguments that few Ligue 1 clubs can match. At his best, Lukaku is an anchor point capable of making an entire attacking line shine around him.
For Monaco, the operation would also have a symbolic dimension. Eight years after Radamel Falcao's departure, the Rock has never really found a striker capable of carrying the team alone in big matches. Lukaku, if he finds his legs and his drive, could fill that void. And give ASM the conquering face that has been so missing in recent seasons.