The decision to replace Victor Osimhen as Napoli’s goal-getter looks to be unravelling under Antonio Conte
Antonio Conte has voiced his frustration with Romelu Lukaku amid the striker’s difficult season at SSC Napoli.
The Belgian, signed as the club’s marquee attacking option after the fallout with Victor Osimhen, has endured a disastrous campaign both on and off the pitch.
Conte frustrated by Lukaku’s conduct and lack of communication
Speaking after Napoli’s emphatic 4-0 victory over US Cremonese, Conte revealed his disappointment at Lukaku’s failure to personally address him following his recent return to the club.
“No, I haven’t had the chance yet. I know one of our directors spoke to him; he came to the training ground, my office was right there, but nobody knocked on the door, and that really disappointed me because I would have expected a greeting, a message, or something,” Conte said.
He added: “In these situations, the coach tries to understand everyone, but no one makes the effort to understand the coach.”
Lukaku had recently returned after an unauthorised absence in March, having failed to report for training and prompting Napoli to publicly confirm disciplinary action was under consideration.
Poor form compounds Napoli’s striker regret
The off-field issues have only intensified scrutiny on Lukaku’s performances, with the Belgian managing just one goal in seven appearances across all competitions this season.
Signed to help fill the void left by Osimhen’s controversial departure, Lukaku has so far failed to justify that faith. His struggles have drawn inevitable comparisons to the Nigerian striker, who was frozen out by Napoli after his own fallout with the club and later sent on loan to Galatasaray.
Ironically, the number 9 shirt stripped from Osimhen was handed to Lukaku, but the Belgian now appears to be following a similarly troubled path.
Napoli’s firm stance suggests the club are prepared to act decisively regardless of reputation, and Conte’s public frustration indicates Lukaku’s future in Naples is now hanging by a thread.
With performances underwhelming and relationships deteriorating, the experiment to replace Osimhen with Lukaku appears increasingly likely to end in failure.