Chelsea and Napoli have been in discussions for months regarding a potential transfer that would send Romelu Lukaku to the beautiful Italian city, even if Partenopei star striker Victor Osimhen does not head back the other direction.
The Osimhen interest from Chelsea has cooled but could be revived later in the window at a reduced fee, but, in the meantime, there is optimism that Napoli and Chelsea can at least finally agree on a Lukaku deal.
Lukaku was the MVP of Serie A in the 2020/21 season for champions Inter Milan and had a good season with Inter in 2022/23 when he returned to the Nerazzurri, winning the Coppa Italia and reaching the Champions League Final.
But Lukaku does not have a future with Chelsea and is coming off a poor season in Italy with Roma. Even so, Napoli manager Antonio Conte would like to work with him, especially since Osimhen’s future at the club seems to be coming to an end.
Lukaku isn’t the only Chelsea forward who could be joining Napoli this summer, as the Partenopei know they need more star power after a poor 2023/24 season in which they finished 10th – and a woeful start to the 2024/25 Serie A season with a 3-0 loss to bottom-half side Hellas Verona.
According to the BBC’s Nizaar Kinsella, Chelsea and Napoli aren’t just in talks for a transfer that would send Romelu Lukaku to the 2022/23 Serie A champions, but they are also discussing a move for Carney Chukwuemeka.
The 20-year-old Chelsea attacking midfielder joined the Blues in 2022 from Aston Villa but has only made 23 appearances for the club. Chukwuemeka no longer has a future with Chelsea.
Valued at 15 million euros by Transfermarkt, Chukwuemeka is a talented player with plenty of upside and is still young. There are Chelsea fans who would like him to get a chance at Stamford Bridge, but with further attacking acquisitions this summer like Joao Felix and Pedro Neto, that ship has likely sailed.
Chukwuemeka and Lukaku going to Napoli could eventually help the Blues land Osimhen, if, again, they decide that is the direction they want to go in at the 9, which remains a position of need with Nicolas Jackson as the lone option.
