Fenerbahce have officially completed the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Napoli on a permanent transfer. The Belgian international striker has committed to a one-year contract with the Istanbul-based club, which includes an option to extend for a further 12 months.

The move comes after Napoli secured the permanent signing of Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United for €44million (£38m; $51.4m) following a season-long loan, paving the way for Lukaku's departure from Italy.

A Summer of Reinforcements

Lukaku arrives as part of a significant recruitment drive at Fenerbahce. The club has already bolstered its ranks this summer by signing striker Vedat Muriqi, who impressed last season with 23 goals in La Liga for Real Mallorca. Additionally, the club has added attacking talent Mason Greenwood from Marseille and experienced defender Nathan Ake from Manchester City.

Overcoming Injury Struggles

Lukaku's recent club form was hampered by a left thigh injury sustained during pre-season last year, which limited him to just seven club appearances in the 2025-26 campaign. Despite these setbacks, he remained a key figure for the national team, featuring in all six games as Belgium reached the quarter-finals of this summer's World Cup, where he netted three goals.

His time at Napoli saw him reunite with former Chelsea and Inter head coach Antonio Conte, scoring 14 league goals and helping the club secure the Serie A title in 2024-25.

A Decorated Career Path

Lukaku's career has been marked by high-profile moves and prolific scoring runs, most notably under Conte at Inter Milan, where he scored 34 and 30 goals in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons respectively. After winning the Italian title with Inter, he joined Chelsea for £97.5million in 2021. Following a brief second spell at Stamford Bridge, he had subsequent loan spells at Inter—reaching the 2022-23 Champions League final—and Roma, before his permanent arrival at Napoli in 2024.