Missing me? Lukaku scores AGAIN after Chelsea exit

Cameron Smith

• 15 Sept 2024 21:00 BST
• 3 min read

Romelu Lukaku is a different beast under Antonio Conte and the Belgian continued his fine start to life at Napoli with another goal on Sunday evening.

The 30-year-old left Chelsea in fairly unceremonious fashion this summer, sealing a permanent departure in August following two loan spells away from the club.

Lukaku was forced out under Thomas Tuchel after a controversial interview with Sky Italia and he wasn’t welcomed back into the fold by either Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca.

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While Nicolas Jackson is certainly a talented player and looks destined to be a top quality striker in the future, he isn’t the finished article - as proven by Chelsea’s desperate summer pursuit of Victor Osimhen.

The Blues remain interested in the Nigeria international, yet the man they sold - Lukaku - is already a hit at Napoli.

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Romelu Lukaku at Napoli

Lukaku scored on his debut for the club against Parma before the September international break and he netted another goal versus Cagliari on Sunday night.

After a poor pass from Cagliari goalkeeper Simone Scuffet, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia rolled the ball across the box and Lukaku calmly finished into the bottom corner to put Napoli 3-0 up.

In addition, the former Chelsea forward also grabbed two assists versus the Serie A strugglers - one for Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the 18th minute and one for Kvaratskhelia in the 66th minute.

While Chelsea’s youth revolution means Lukaku was a square peg in a round hole, the Belgian is a proven, reliable goalscorer - something the Blues still back, despite spending close to €1.5 billion on new players since 2022.

Lukaku’s big-money move back to Chelsea couldn’t have gone much worse, but he continues to prove both the club and his critics wrong, and he looks destined to enjoy a sublime first campaign at Napoli.