Victor Osimhen has been sidelined by Napoli after the team he fired to Serie A glory just a over year ago left him both off their squad list for the 2024/25 campaign and potentially in season-long limbo.
Belgium striker Lukaku completed a permanent move to Napoli from Chelsea on Thursday, ending a long period of limbo with the Blues.
The futures of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and England international Ivan Toney are set to dominate the final day of the European transfer window on Friday as Chelsea continue their frenzied pursuit of new signings.
Napoli manager Antonio Conte apologised to the club's fans after his side were humbled 3-0 at Hellas Verona in Serie A on Sunday and said he took responsibility for the loss.
Napoli insisted on Monday Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is not for sale as the star Georgian winger's agent pushes for a move away from the Serie A club, reportedly to Paris Saint-Germain.
Former Chelsea and Tottenham coach Antonio Conte was hired by Napoli on Wednesday as the deposed Serie A champions try to bounce back from their disastrous league title defence.
Empoli, who are battling relegation, opened the scoring after four minutes when striker Alberto Cerri headed in a close-range cross for what proved to be the winner.
"We're not mathematically out of it but the chances of us getting there are very slim," said Calzona after his first league defeat as Napoli boss
Italian club Napoli said they were "stunned" after Italy's football federation (FIGC) on Tuesday dropped a probe into alleged racist comments made by Inter Milan's Francesco Acerbi to Napoli's Juan Jesus due to lack of evidence.
Napoli took another step closer to ending their 33-year wait to win the Serie A title after they came away from Lecce with a 2-1 win on Friday thanks to a bizarre own goal from Lecce defender Antonino Gallo.
Juventus have been ordered to close part of their stadium for their next home Serie A match against Napoli by an Italian sports judge after Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku was racially abused during Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final.
Milan have 51 points, one ahead of fourth-placed Inter Milan, and are four behind second-placed Lazio. Napoli are 20 points clear at the top
The face of a young Diego Armando Maradona gazes down from a mural in Naples' Miracles Square, watching the city gear up for a celebration it hasn't enjoyed since the Argentine soccer star was at his peak more than 30 years ago.
While the fans of Italian football continue to struggle to convince their peers from the English Premier League and LaLiga about the relevance of Serie A in European footballing hierarchy, it is with a renewed optimism that they can now boast about Napoli – the new entertainers of European football.
Serie A leaders Napoli thrashed Torino 4-0 away with a double from Victor Oshimen and goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Tanguy Ndombele on Sunday to move closer to the title.
Eintracht Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner said Wednesday that Napoli are on the same level as Bayern Munich after his team were knocked out of the Champions League by Serie A's runaway leaders.
Napoli forward Victor Osimhen struck either side of the break to steer the Italians to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday and into the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time.
The 11th goal of the Georgian's debut Serie A season came in the 60th minute of Saturday's game, as he slalomed his way into the penalty area and left defenders floundering before burying a fierce finish into the roof of the net.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen says if he leads the club to first Serie A title in more than 30 years, he will become a club "icon", but he would not be able to reach the status of late Argentine great Diego Maradona.