Napoli Hit by Major Blow as Lukaku Suffers Serious Injury Ahead of Serie A Kick-Off

Napoli have been dealt a huge setback just days before the start of the 2025/26 Serie A season, after the club confirmed that Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku has sustained a serious thigh injury that could sideline him until November.

Lukaku was forced off during Thursday’s 2-1 friendly win over Olympiacos and underwent medical tests that revealed the extent of the damage. 

In an official statement, Napoli announced: “Examinations carried out at the Pineta Grande Hospital confirmed a high-grade tear in the rectus femoris muscle of Lukaku’s left thigh. The player has already begun a rehabilitation program and will undergo a surgical consultation in the coming days.”

The injury is a major blow for coach Antonio Conte, who will now be without one of his key attacking options for the season opener against Sassuolo this Saturday. 

Reports in Corriere dello Sport suggest that Napoli could move quickly in the transfer market, with several forwards already linked as potential replacements.

Among the names mentioned are Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Artem Dovbyk (Roma), and Nikola Krstovic (Lecce).

For Napoli supporters, the setback is particularly disappointing as they had hoped to see a powerful new strike partnership between Lukaku and summer signing Lorenzo Lucca. Instead, the club enters the new campaign facing a difficult challenge to maintain its attacking strength without their star forward.