Napoli’s Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku is likely to miss a significant part of the first half of the 2025-2026 Italian Serie A season.
The veteran striker has picked up a thigh injury and is looking at a possible return in November with the former Inter Milan and Manchester United player weighing the option of having surgery per reports.
Lukaku picked up the injury in Napoli’s pre-season game against Greek side Olympiakos; the club stated that the former Chelsea player has a “high grade injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his left thigh” and added that Lukaku has “already begun rehabilitation and will undergo surgical consultation”.
The extent of Lukaku’s injury could force Napoli to leave him out of the Italian club’s UEFA Champions League roster; the club could explore the possibility of signing a striker as a result.
In his first season with Napoli, 32 year old Lukaku won the Serie A title while registering 14 goals and 11 assists in 38 games in all competitions.
Napoli play against Sassuolo in its season opener on Saturday, August 23.
