What Happened to Romelu Lukaku Bolingoli?

Romelu Lukaku Bolingoli, born May 13, 1993, has forged a prominent career as a powerful and prolific striker in European football. His journey began in Belgium with Anderlecht, where he quickly rose to prominence, becoming the Belgian Pro League's top scorer in 2009–10 and earning a move to Chelsea in 2011. However, limited playing time at Chelsea led to successful loan spells at West Bromwich Albion and Everton, eventually signing permanently with Everton in 2014.

His consistent goal-scoring form at Everton earned him a high-profile transfer to Manchester United in 2017. While he initially performed well, his time at Old Trafford was marked by fluctuating form and criticism. A pivotal turning point came in 2019 when he moved to Inter Milan, where he rediscovered his best form under Antonio Conte, leading the club to their first Serie A title in 11 years in the 2020–21 season and being named the league's Most Valuable Player. This success prompted a club-record return to Chelsea in 2021 for £97.5 million (€115 million), but his second stint was largely disappointing, leading to a loan back to Inter Milan in 2022 and then to AS Roma for the 2023-24 season.

In August 2024, Lukaku made a permanent move to Napoli for a reported €30 million, ending his second spell at Chelsea. He had a successful 2024-25 season with Napoli, becoming their top goalscorer and helping them win the Serie A title, also being named in the league's Team of the Season. However, the 2025-26 season at Napoli proved more challenging. Lukaku suffered from a series of hamstring and muscular injuries, limiting him to just seven appearances and little over an hour of football in Serie A by May 2026. This lack of availability, coupled with reported tensions and a public falling out with manager Antonio Conte over injury rehabilitation and alleged missed training sessions, has cast a shadow over his future at the club.

Internationally, Lukaku remains a crucial figure for the Belgium national team, serving as their all-time top goalscorer with 90 goals in 128 appearances as of June 21, 2026. He played a significant role in Belgium's Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, notably scoring four goals against Azerbaijan in November 2023, setting a record for goals in a European Championship qualifying campaign. Despite a challenging Euro 2024 tournament where he had multiple goals disallowed and missed chances, Belgium progressed to the knockout stages. As of June 2026, he has continued to feature for Belgium, scoring in a friendly against Croatia and participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Napoli is reportedly open to selling Lukaku after the 2026 World Cup, with a valuation between €10-20 million, and his representatives are exploring options, including a potential return to the Premier League.