Napoli are waiting for Chelsea to realise they cannot recover their investment on Romelu Lukaku, so they can then sign him on loan.
That’s according to Corriere del Mezzogiorno, relayed by Calcio Napoli 24, who say the Chelsea outcast is very much an option for the Italian’s to replace Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen is expected to leave Napoli at some point this summer, which will leave them with a huge hole to be filled in their forward line.
Numerous reports in Italy have identified Lukaku as a potential option, with him set to return to Chelsea this summer from a loan spell at Roma.
The Blues don’t want him, though, and are hoping to secure a sale so that they can recover some of the money they spent on him and aid their efforts to balance the books at Stamford Bridge.
Napoli have been credited with an interest thanks to the arrival of Antonio Conte, with him a big fan of Lukaku’s after working successfully with him at Inter Milan.
The Serie A side are not keen on a permanent deal, though, particularly at the prices being quoted early on in the summer, and Corriere del Mezzogiorno say they are waiting for Chelsea to realise one thing before making their move.
“The centimetres also represent an obsession for the attack,” they report.
“For post Osimhen, Conte’s Napoli wants a physically structured attacker who knows how to both act as a buoy and provide depth and in this too the identikit focuses on long-limbed number 9s.
“Lukaku on loan, the 191-centimetre giant with 21 goals of the season, waiting for Chelsea to realize that they will not be able to collect the €44m of the clause.
“If the Saudi market does not convince him, is a welcome way to restart from the axis with Conte with which Inter’s scudetto took shape in 2021.”
