Lukaku leaves Napoli for Fenerbahçe in €6m transfer after injury-hit second season

Transfer completed

Romelu Lukaku's move from Napoli to Fenerbahçe was officially announced on 12 August 2026, with both clubs confirming the deal on their websites. The transfer fee is reported at €6 million plus bonuses. The 33-year-old Belgian striker flew directly from Brussels to Istanbul, bypassing Italy entirely, after completing medical tests in Belgium earlier in the week. He has signed a one-year contract with the option of a second season. The move makes Fenerbahçe the 10th club of Lukaku's career and his 5th different club since 2022.

Two seasons at Napoli: from title glory to injury despair

Lukaku arrived at Napoli from Chelsea in the summer of 2024 and made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut on 31 August 2024 in a comeback win against Parma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. His first season yielded 14 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions, including the goal that secured Napoli's fourth Serie A title in a match against Cagliari. He also won the Italian Super Cup. He was reunited with Antonio Conte, his former coach at Chelsea and Inter, under whom Lukaku had previously recorded 34 goals in 2019-20 and 30 goals in 2020-21 at Inter.

His second season was derailed by a left thigh muscle injury sustained in pre-season. He managed only seven club appearances and scored once, playing between 40 and 42 minutes of Serie A football across the entire campaign. The injury kept him out for practically the whole season and impacted his form at the 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, where he nonetheless scored three goals in six games as Belgium reached the quarter-finals.

Breakdown with Conte

Lukaku's rehabilitation became a point of contention with Napoli and coach Antonio Conte. The disagreement centred on the location of his revalidation, with Lukaku choosing to recover in Belgium ahead of the World Cup. This dispute effectively ended his time at the Italian club, where he was no longer in favour. Napoli had already moved to replace him, completing the permanent signing of Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United for €44 million earlier in the summer, opening the door for Lukaku's departure.

Fenerbahçe's ambitious rebuild

Fenerbahçe, who finished second in the Turkish league behind Galatasaray last season, are assembling a squad of international pedigree. Lukaku becomes the latest arrival in a transfer window that has already brought in Mason Greenwood from Marseille, Nathan Aké from Manchester City, and Vedat Muriqi, who scored 23 goals in La Liga for Real Mallorca last season. The squad also includes Ederson Moraes, Nélson Semedo, Milan Skriniar, N'Golo Kanté, Fred, Marco Asensio and Anderson Talisca. The team is managed by Ismail Kartal, with former Netherlands forward Dirk Kuyt as his assistant.

Fenerbahçe still need to secure their place in the Champions League group stage, with a two-legged play-off against Olympique Lyonnais scheduled for 18 and 26 August.