Antonio Conte’s frustration with Romelu Lukaku has spilled into the public domain, with the Napoli head coach openly criticising the Belgian striker’s failure to communicate with him following a recent unauthorised absence from the club.
Speaking to reporters after Napoli’s 4-0 victory over US Cremonese, Conte confirmed he had yet to speak directly with Lukaku despite the striker returning to the training ground. “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.
The Italian manager elaborated on the breakdown in communication, adding: “In these situations, the coach tries to understand everyone, but no one makes the effort to understand the coach.”
Lukaku’s return followed an unauthorised absence in March during which he failed to report for training. Napoli subsequently confirmed that disciplinary action was under consideration — a public rebuke that added further pressure to an already difficult season for the 31-year-old.
Beyond the off-field turbulence, Lukaku’s contributions on the pitch have done little to strengthen his standing at the club. The former Chelsea and Inter Milan forward has managed just one goal in seven appearances across all competitions since joining Napoli. That return has intensified scrutiny on the decision to sign him as the long-term successor to Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian international whose acrimonious departure from the club preceded Lukaku’s arrival.
Osimhen, who had been one of Serie A’s most prolific strikers during his time in Naples, was frozen out by the club following a public fallout before being sent on loan to Galatasaray in Turkey. Napoli stripped him of the number 9 shirt and handed it to Lukaku — a symbolic handover that now carries an uncomfortable irony, given that both players have found themselves embroiled in disciplinary and performance issues at the same club.
The circumstances surrounding Lukaku’s stint at Napoli draw broader attention to the club’s handling of high-profile strikers under Conte’s tenure. Napoli, who won the Serie A title in the 2022-23 season under Luciano Spalletti with Osimhen as their focal point, have struggled to replicate that attacking consistency since. Lukaku was recruited as a marquee signing intended to restore that threat, but his record to date falls well short of expectations.
Conte’s willingness to publicly address the situation suggests the club is unlikely to allow the current state of affairs to continue indefinitely. Napoli have previously demonstrated a readiness to act decisively with underperforming or disruptive players, as evidenced by how the Osimhen situation was handled. Whether Lukaku can rehabilitate his standing at the club — both in terms of form and his relationship with the coaching staff — before the end of the season remains to be seen.
With the campaign nearing its conclusion and Lukaku’s future at Napoli increasingly uncertain, the experiment to replace Osimhen with the Belgian international looks, at this stage, to be heading toward an unsuccessful conclusion.
