Antonio Conte targets Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku as first Napoli signing

Antonio Conte has completed his return to management with Napoli, making his first order of business a deal for Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku.

Conte has been out of work since March 2023, when he left Tottenham by mutual consent 10 games before the end of the season and his Spurs contract.

The 54-year-old has jumped at the chance to take the Napoli job, and has signed a three-year deal with the Serie A side.

Star striker Victor Osimhen is expected to leave Napoli this summer, though the likes of Chelsea have been put off by the £113million release clause for the Nigeria striker.

Napoli need a replacement for Osimhen, and Lukaku has already been identified as fitting the bill.

Chelsea will sell Lukaku for £38m this summer, with the 31-year-old having just enjoyed a fruitful loan at Roma.

Lukaku hit 21 goals in 47 appearances in the Italian capital, and is keen to stay in Serie A.

Conte is ready for a reunion with the Belgium striker, after the pair linked up to land Inter Milan the 2021 Serie A title.

Conte helped Lukaku into perhaps the best physical shape of his career at Inter and the results were impressive.

Lukaku fired 24 goals and provided 11 assists to inspire Inter's march to the Scudetto, and now Conte is ready to reprise his partnership with the Belgium frontman.

Former Chelsea boss Conte led Spurs to a fourth-place Premier League finish in 2021-22 and a return to the Champions League.

The north Londoners' form dipped the next season though, and Conte had to step away after gallbladder surgery in February 2023.

The fiery coach was back in the dugout in early March but tensions with Spurs chiefs behind the scenes boiled over, and he was gone by the end of that month.