Romelu Lukaku was signed earlier in the summer of 2024 as a replacement for Victor Osimhen at NapoliThe big Belgian attacker has since struggled to meet the lofty expectations many had for him when he signed for the Neapolitan outfitFormer Napoli striker Igor Protti, however, has expressed confidence in the striker, backing Antonio Conte’s decision to replace Osimhen with him
The decision to bring in Romelu Lukaku as a replacement for the unsettled Victor Osimhen is one that remains under intense scrutiny, particularly in light of the Belgian forward’s performances since joining Napoli.
The former Chelsea star, who seemed like an unexpected choice to fill the void left by the Nigerian striker, has often struggled to live up to the high expectations placed upon him.
Romelu Lukaku during the Serie A match between Napoli and Verona at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on January 12, 2025. Image: Ivan Romano.
Source: Getty Images
While Lukaku has been directly involved in 14 goals across 20 appearances, according to data from Fotmob, it’s important to note that his numbers fall significantly short of Osimhen’s remarkable 40 goal involvements in the 2022/23 season.
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Romelu Lukaku explains why Antonio Conte signed him to replace Victor Osimhen at Napoli
That campaign saw Osimhen lead Napoli to their first Scudetto in 33 years, setting a benchmark that Lukaku has yet to reach.
In a recent interview, Lukaku addressed the criticism he has faced since his arrival at Napoli and explained why coach Antonio Conte decided to bring him in as Osimhen’s replacement.
Despite the mixed reviews surrounding his performances, former Serie A striker, Igor Protti, has expressed support for the decision to sign Lukaku.
The 57-year-old praised Lukaku’s playing style, describing it as advantageous for both the club’s goal-scoring ambitions and overall goals.
Serie A icon backs Lukaku after replacing Osimhen
Speaking in an interview captured by Tutto Napoli, the former Napoli striker shared his thoughts:
“He is one of those centre-forwards I would have been happy to play with because I’ve always preferred strikers who create space for me.
Conte is doing an incredible job, and I was convinced that Napoli had made a great move this year after last season. The choice of coach was perfect; Conte has never failed and has always coached in top-tier leagues.
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The credit for this season goes to Conte, who wanted a player like Lukaku, someone he knew well. Antonio’s great strength is his ability to adapt to the players at his disposal, not just sticking to one style of play.”
On Napoli’s charge for the Scudetto, Protti added,
“Not having European competitions can be an advantage for a team with serious title ambitions. For me, the next five games will reveal a lot about Napoli’s season.”
Protti appears to be one of the few who have openly supported Lukaku despite the Belgian’s mixed performances at Napoli so far. Whether Lukaku can repay the faith shown in him by the former striker will be closely watched, especially when Napoli faces Atalanta in a crucial top-of-the-table clash in Serie A.
Sharing his thoughts on Lukaku replacing Osimhen at Napoli, Nigerian football expert, Taiwo Poopola, noted that while it can be argued that the Belgian forward is better than Osimhen, matching the achievements of the Nigerian striker at Napoli would be a daunting task.
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“Lukaku is a great striker, with almost 400 career goals. I could even say he’s better than Osimhen. However, reaching the level Osimhen reached at Napoli will be difficult.
Leading Napoli to a Scudetto, finishing as top scorer, and being the best forward will be tough, but Lukaku is still a fantastic striker.”
Lukaku names the difference between EPL and Serie A
Henzodaily.ng in another report detailed how Lukaku highlighted the difference between the Premier League and Serie A
The Belgian attacker stressed that the difference between both leagues is largely due to their economic power.
The 31-year-old emphasised that several clubs in Serie A, on footballing terms, are good enough to match their counterparts in the English league.
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Source: Henzodaily.ng