Napoli ‘Irritated’ as Romelu Lukaku Refuses to Return from Belgium

The international break was supposed to be a period of recovery and refinement for Romelu Lukaku.

Instead, it has spiraled into a full-blown diplomatic crisis between the Belgian striker and his club, SSC Napoli.

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the atmosphere at the Castel Volturno training ground has turned sour.

The club is said to be “irritated” by the striker’s current stance, as Lukaku remains in Belgium and is reportedly refusing to return to Italy as scheduled.

The Lukaku Standoff: What We Know

The trouble began earlier this week when Lukaku withdrew from the Belgian national team squad ahead of their friendlies against the USA and Mexico.

The official line from both the Belgian FA and Napoli was that the striker would return to Naples immediately to work on his fitness and “optimise his condition” for the Serie A run-in.

However, that return has not materialised. Rather than being back under the watchful eye of the Napoli coaching staff, the 32-year-old has remained in his homeland.

Reports suggest that a breakdown in communication has led to Lukaku refusing to make the trip back to the Castel Volturno complex, leaving club officials frustrated.

Why is Napoli Irritated?

For Napoli, the timing could not be worse. After a season that has seen Lukaku battle various fitness issues — including a significant thigh injury earlier in the campaign — the club invested heavily in his recovery.

The expectation was that this two-week break would be used for a “mini-pre-season” to ensure he was at 100% for the final stretch of the season.

By staying in Belgium, Lukaku is operating outside of the club’s strict medical and athletic protocols.

For a player who notoriously needs to be at peak physical condition to perform, this perceived lack of discipline is causing major friction behind the scenes.

A History of International Friction

This isn’t the first time Lukaku’s relationship with his national team and club commitments has made headlines.

Earlier in the 2025/26 season, reports suggested he had informed the Belgian federation he would only focus on Napoli until the new year.

Now, the script has flipped. By staying in Belgium while shunning his club duties, Lukaku has put himself in a precarious position with the Partenopei hierarchy.

What Next for Lukaku and Napoli?

The question now is how Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis and the coaching staff will respond.

Fines and disciplinary action are likely if the striker does not report back to the training ground in the coming days.

With crucial fixtures on the horizon, Napoli needs their star man firing on all cylinders.

However, this latest “Lukaku headache” suggests that the relationship between the club and their marquee summer signing is reaching a breaking point.