The 54-year-old Italian manager will face the challenge of reviving Napoli's fortunes after a dismal season that saw the 2022-23 Serie A champions finish in 10th place, missing out on European football. Last season, Napoli went through a tumultuous period, sacking two managers—Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri—before Slovakia's Francesco Calzona took over in February until the season's end.
As Conte prepares to step into his new role, he is eager to bolster the squad ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. According to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Conte is interested in reuniting with Lukaku, who he previously managed at Inter Milan. Lukaku is returning to Chelsea after a loan spell with Roma.
The report suggests that Napoli might propose a swap deal involving their star striker Victor Osimhen and Lukaku, with an additional fee of €80m to €90m to be paid by Chelsea. However, journalist Fabrizio Romano offers a different perspective, stating that Chelsea is not considering a swap deal for Lukaku and Osimhen. Instead, Chelsea is asking for Lukaku's suitors to meet his £38m release clause.
Lukaku thrived under Conte's management at Inter Milan, scoring 24 goals in the 2020-21 Serie A season and helping the team secure the league title. However, his subsequent move to Chelsea didn't go as planned, leading to a fallout with then-manager Thomas Tuchel.
Over the past two seasons, Lukaku has been on loan at Inter and Roma, and now he's seeking a permanent move away from Chelsea.
