Napoli are considering disciplinary action against striker Romelu Lukaku after he failed to report for training, the Serie A club confirmed in a statement on Tuesday. The former Manchester United and Chelsea forward, who joined Napoli in 2024, has been absent since pulling out of international duty with Belgium due to poor fitness.
The club's statement read: 'Napoli announce that Romelu Lukaku did not respond to today's call-up ahead of the resumption of training. The club reserves the right to evaluate the adoption of appropriate disciplinary measures as well as the continuation of the player's participation in the team on an indefinite basis.' Italian media report that Lukaku has been training individually in Belgium without permission and has been warned he could be excluded from the first team if he does not return by Tuesday.
Lukaku, 32, has endured a difficult season, featuring only seven times across all competitions and scoring one goal. He has been hampered by injuries and fallen down the pecking order following the arrival of Rasmus Hojlund. His father Roger passed away in September 2025 at age 58.
On Monday, Lukaku posted on Instagram explaining his absence: 'This season has been a lot for me from dealing with the injury and the personal loss... The truth is the last few weeks I wasn't feeling right physically and it showed me that there was an inflammation and liquid on my hip flexor muscle next to my scar tissue. I chose to do the rehab in Belgium so I can help when called upon.' He added that he needs to be 'clinically 100%' before returning.
Napoli sit third in Serie A, two points behind AC Milan ahead of their clash after the international break. Inter Milan lead the title race by six points with eight games remaining.
