July 20th 2024.
Romelu Lukaku, the well-known Chelsea striker, is reportedly one step closer to joining Napoli. According to reports in Italy, Napoli have reached an agreement on personal terms with Lukaku. The 31-year-old has been on loan with Roma last season and is now looking to finalize a permanent deal this summer.
The arrival of new manager Antonio Conte has made the signing of Lukaku one of Napoli's top priorities. As the former Chelsea manager, Conte is eager to secure one of his key transfer targets. Sky Sports Italy has reported that Lukaku has agreed to a three-year contract with Napoli, which is worth around £97,000 a week, with additional performance-related bonuses.
However, Chelsea is demanding a £30 million fee plus add-ons for the Belgium international. Napoli cannot complete the deal until they have sold Victor Osimhen. The French club, Paris Saint-Germain, have been in extensive talks with Napoli for Osimhen, but the Serie A club is reluctant to accept a fee lower than his €130m clause. This demand has put off both Chelsea and Arsenal.
Osimhen's agent, Roberto Calenda, has even traveled to Paris earlier this week to speed up negotiations. Conte, on the other hand, has insisted that he has no issue with Osimhen's transfer delaying Napoli's summer arrivals. He stated, "The situation was already very clear. I was aware of it. It's all going as planned. To me, it's not a surprise to wait. We face every situation in the right way."
As Conte mentioned, Napoli is currently focused on re-aligning their team and evaluating their options. They are also looking to make sales and new signings as part of their vision. Conte is confident that there will be no problems in achieving their goals.
Moving on to Chelsea's summer signings in 2024, they have made some notable additions to their team. These include Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Renato Veiga, and Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku, in an interview with RTL last month, made it clear that he would be open to joining Napoli and reuniting with Conte. The two have previously worked together at Inter, where they won the Serie A title three years ago.
Lukaku expressed his thoughts, saying, "I've already figured it out in my head. I know what will happen. A lot of people like to talk, maybe because I don't have a real estate agent. But I'm going to decide. I am in control of my situation. I'm going to make a choice and once I explain it, everyone will agree with me."
He also compared his decision to having a relationship with a woman, saying, "Every time I decided to stay or leave somewhere, certain factors - for example my relationship with the coach - turned out to be the right choice. It's like having a relationship with a woman. If we don't click anymore, why stay together?"
Despite the ongoing negotiations and speculations, Lukaku remains in control of his situation and is confident in making the right decision for his career. As for Chelsea, they continue to make moves in the transfer market and strengthen their team for the upcoming season. Stay tuned for more updates on Chelsea's summer signings and other exclusive news and analysis.
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