Victor Osimhen left Napoli on acrimonious terms last summer and joined Galatasaray on loanAntonio Conte ordered Napoli to sign Romelu Lukaku as the replacement even before the Nigerian star leftLukaku has opened up on his relationship with Conte and why he signed him as Osimhen’s replacement
Romelu Lukaku replaced Victor Osimhen before the Nigerian left Napoli in the summer, and he has now opened up on why Antonio Conte chose him for the job.
Osimhen decided that his time with Napoli was up at the end of last season, and not even new manager Conte could convince him otherwise, having made his decision before the Italian arrived.
Romelu Lukaku embraces Antonio Conte after Napoli beat Hellas Verona 2-0. Photo by Francesco Pecoraro.
Source: Getty Images
Negotiations dragged throughout the summer, with the club botching moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli despite progress in both deals.
The Nigerian eventually joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan in September after his proposed move to Chelsea on the summer deadline day failed to materialise.
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Lukaku explains how Conte convinced him to replace Victor Osimhen at Napoli
Conte’s choice to replace the outgoing striker was trusted deputy Lukaku. Chelsea initially proposed a swap deal, but Osimhen’s camp rejected it and separated both deals.
Lukaku explains why Conte signed him
Conte’s decision to sign Lukaku, who is five years older than Osimhen, raised eyebrows among fans who claimed the manager had no long-term plans for the club.
The Belgian forward has explained why the Italian manager chose him and will always keep coming for him.
“Everyone knows his value as a coach and person in my life, on and off the field,” he told Radio CRC, as quoted by Il Mattino.
“He understands me and knows the sacrifices I make for football: I can explain to him how I feel, his mentality and his way of living football are perfect for me.
“He is always attentive to details, he takes care of every movement, every action in both defensive and offensive phases. We are so well-prepared that you can’t make mistakes, I really like this responsibility, and he is a coach who improves every player. These things make you a winner.”
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Galatasaray chief gives reason club shouldn’t sign Osimhen for €75 million
As noted by Transfermarkt, bar Roberto Martinez, who Lukaku played for at Everton and Belgium, he has played more times for Conte than any other manager in his career.
In 115 games under the former Chelsea manager, the striker has scored 71 goals and 24 assists, the most for any manager in his career, exemplifying the relationship they built.
The best season of Lukaku’s career was the 2020/21 season when he helped Inter Milan to win the Serie A title under Conte and was named the league’s best player with 24 goals and 11 assists.
Lukaku breaks Osimhen’s record
Henzodaily.ng reported that Lukaku broke Osimhen’s Serie A record for most goals in the first 10 games for Napoli after scoring four times on his reunion with Conte.
The Belgian has since dropped form, much to the frustration of Napoli fans, even though the manager retains faith in him and defends him publicly.
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Source: Henzodaily.ng