According to the latest issue of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Romelu Lukaku has made it clear to his agent that he is willing to take a pay cut in order to join Antonio Conte’s Napoli. This deal is expected to be completed at a price of €25 million.
Following his duties at the European Championship, Lukaku is enjoying his vacation, but the Belgian’s mind remains focused on his destination for the next season. With Conte taking charge at Napoli, this destination is becoming increasingly clear. For Lukaku, there could be no other destination than Napoli.
In terms of sporting prowess, Conte is the coach who can best harness Lukaku’s abilities. No other coach can motivate Lukaku to sweat and fight as much as Conte does; the two share an exceptionally high level of trust and respect, akin to that between close friends. The Belgian has repeatedly stated in various settings, “Antonio Conte is the best coach I’ve encountered in my career.” Such comments are enough to dispel any doubt about his future. After the Euros, Lukaku met with his agent, reaffirming his desire to start a new cycle with Conte at Napoli.
In terms of feasibility, this transfer is highly likely to happen. Despite their separation, Conte and Lukaku have maintained close contact, which has become even more frequent in recent months. Chelsea hopes to receive £37.5 million (approximately €44 million) from Lukaku’s transfer, but the current asking price has dropped to around €25 million. Lukaku himself is doing everything possible to facilitate the transfer, agreeing to a pay cut to join Napoli and working with legal teams to reduce Napoli’s transfer expenses from all angles.
Under Conte, Lukaku made 95 appearances in Serie A, scoring 64 goals, helping Inter Milan regain its place atop Serie A after 11 years. July 25th marks the opening day of Napoli’s pre-season training camp, and Conte is eagerly awaiting Lukaku’s arrival once again.