Lukaku finally expected to return to Napoli after being fined for unauthorised absence

Reports in Italy claim that Romelu Lukaku is finally set to return to Napoli after a rift with the club that saw him fined after failing to report for training in March. 

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Lukaku finally expected to return to Napoli

According to reports from Corriere dello Sport, Lukaku is expected to return to Napoli training on Monday ahead of the final five matches of the 2025-26 Serie A season. The Belgian reportedly communicated the decision to the club via his agent. 

The Belgium international has only been fit enough for 64 minutes of action across seven substitute appearances in all competitions this season after suffering a major hamstring injury in a pre-season friendly against Olympiacos just before the Serie A campaign got underway. 

This injury and subsequent fitness issues kept Lukaku out of action until January, but he has only gone on to play for 40 minutes in Serie A since then. 

As a result, Lukaku did not join up with the Belgium national team for the March international break and due to a hip flexor issue. He had been due to report to Napoli’s training ground during the international break, but despite the club’s wishes, the striker instead decided to stay in Belgium to continue his recovery. Napoli decided to fine the 32-year-old for his leave of unauthorised absence. 

According to Corriere dello Sport, Lukaku and head coach Antonio Conte have not seen each other face-to-face since Napoli’s 1-0 victory over Cagliari on March 20, but this will soon change as Lukaku prepares to return to training with the rest of his teammates on Monday.