Fenerbahce complete permanent signing of Romelu Lukaku from Napoli
Fenerbahce complete permanent signing of Romelu Lukaku from Napoli
Fenerbahce have completed the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Napoli on a permanent deal. The Belgium international striker has signed a one-year contract at the Istanbul-based club, with the option of a further 12 months.
The move comes after Napoli completed the permanent signing of Rasmus Hojlund earlier this summer in a €44million (£38m; $51.4m) transfer from Manchester United, following a season-long loan, opening the door for a permanent Lukaku departure.
A busy summer in Istanbul
Fenerbahce have been among the most active clubs in the transfer market this window. Alongside Lukaku, they have already signed striker Vedat Muriqi, who scored 23 goals in La Liga for Real Mallorca last season, winger Mason Greenwood from Marseille, and defender Nathan Ake from Manchester City. The club marked the arrival on social media, posting: “Romelu Lukaku Fenerbahçemizde! #BigRom”
Napoli, for their part, bid farewell to the forward with a thank-you message: “Per ogni pallone difeso, Per ogni gol segnato Grazie Romelu!”
From Conte reunion to injury woe
Lukaku was reunited with his former Chelsea and Inter head coach Antonio Conte at Napoli, scoring 14 league goals as the club won Serie A in 2024-25. However, injury issues last season limited him to just seven club appearances. A left thigh injury sustained in pre-season sidelined him for much of the 2025-26 campaign.
Despite his club struggles, Lukaku featured in all six games as Belgium reached the quarter-final stage of this summer’s World Cup, where he scored three goals.
A career of big moves
Lukaku previously enjoyed the most productive run of his career under Conte at Inter, scoring 34 and 30 goals in 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively. He helped them reach the Europa League final before winning the Italian title and then joined Chelsea for £97.5million in 2021.
The move to Chelsea, his second spell at the club, lasted just one season before season-long loan moves to Inter — reaching the 2022-23 Champions League final — and then Roma, prior to joining Napoli permanently in 2024.