Lukaku Misses Napoli Preseason, MLS Transfer Awaited
The Belgian striker has agreed to additional time off with the club while Atlanta United negotiates his arrival. Napoli has officially sold Miguel Gutiérrez to Bayer Leverkusen for €30 million.
The Belgian striker has agreed to additional time off with the club while Atlanta United negotiates his arrival. Napoli has officially sold Miguel Gutiérrez to Bayer Leverkusen for €30 million.
Romelu Lukaku did not show up for Napoli's preseason camp in Castel di Sangro on Tuesday, August 5, 2026. According to Fabrizio Romano, the 33-year-old striker expects to leave the club this month, with MLS side Atlanta United as the leading candidate for his signature.
Per La Repubblica, his absence from training is not a new form of rebellion but rather the Belgian international has agreed with the club on a few extra days of leave before potentially joining the squad in Abruzzo. This differs from last season when he twice failed to show up for training at the Castel Volturno facility.
The Lukaku-Napoli story is practically over, and the club hopes to finalize the sale as early as this week. La Repubblica reports that the Antwerp-born striker is in talks with Atlanta United and prefers a move to the United States. The option of playing in Turkey, which had been mentioned in recent weeks, is not being considered for now.
The decision to part ways was made earlier, regardless of the final year of his contract. Lukaku will thus seek a new opportunity after a strong showing at the World Cup. His anticipated partnership with Højlund at Napoli, touted by the player's camp a few weeks ago, will not materialize.
While waiting for Lukaku's situation to unfold, Napoli has officially confirmed the departure of Miguel Gutiérrez. The Spanish full-back has been sold to Bayer Leverkusen for €30 million, as confirmed by La Repubblica. Napoli paid Girona €18 million last summer for the 25-year-old Madrid native, thus securing a significant capital gain.
The club is now rushing to bring in a new defensive reinforcement. French defender Benoît Badiashile is at the top of the list, and Chelsea is reportedly open to a loan with an option to buy. The next few hours will be crucial for this deal to go through.
