Lukaku build up fitness ahead of Napoli move

It appears Romelu Lukaku will be playing for his third Serie A team this season as latest reports say the Belgium striker is building up his fitness individually as he waits to join Napoli while  Paris Saint-Germain are close to unblocking the deal as they push for Victor Osimhen.

Having several strikers on their radar after the exit of Kylian Mbappe, the Parisian giants have decided to fully focus on a deal for the 25-year-old Nigerian striker.  

This has made them to be in close contact with Partenopei president Aurelio De Laurentiis and the player’s agent Roberto Calenda in recent days.

De Laurentiis has proven to be a tough negotiator over time. The CEO would want to get enough money from the deal if he is to let the 25-year-old leave. 

As it appears the Nigerian wants to join the Ligue 1 champions, Napoli seems ready to give PSG a slight discount on his €130m release clause. 

It was gathered that the Partonopei aren’t willing to give up too much but want over €100m at least for the 25-year-old who missed the club’s second pre-season friendly in Trentino as he recovers from an injury that forced him out of international duties for Nigeria during the last FIFA calendar. 

Having been present in training, it suggests that things are progressing.

According to page eight of today’s Corriere dello Sport,  Napoli are hoping to sell Osimhen to PSG by Thursday next week. 

This will allow them to finally pull the trigger on the deal with Chelsea for Lukaku, who is waiting to be reunited with Antonio Conte.

The Belgian striker, who recently returned from his holiday in Turkey, is now individually training to start preparing for the move. He has agreed to a three-year contract worth €10m per season, taking advantage of the Growth Decree tax relief.

Napoli will pay Chelsea around €25m, including add-ons, for Lukaku. The club has obtained a significant discount on the circa €44m (£37.5m) release clause. 

As it stands, they want a green light from PSG before bringing the former Inter striker on board.