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.
Matias Vecino's brilliant long-range strike earned Lazio a 1-0 win at Napoli on Friday as the runaway Serie A leaders lost for only the second time in the league this season.
Osimhen tapped in at the far post to give his team a 40th minute lead
Napoli have had an impressive season so far, currently with a 15-point lead over second-placed Inter Milan in Serie A, and have won seven straight domestic league games, scoring at least two goals in each.
Simone Inzaghi's side stay second and are three points ahead of local rivals AC Milan, who beat Monza 1-0 earlier on Saturday, but are a long way behind rampant Napoli after their 2-0 win at Sassuolo on Friday.
It looks only a matter of time before Luciano Spalletti's rampant side secure a Scudetto dreamed of by Napoli fans since the days of Diego Maradona
A 33-year wait for the league crown looks closer to ending for Napoli
AC Milan's crisis threatens to deepen as the champions head into Sunday's derby with Inter, miles off the Serie A title pace and in a battle to reach next year's Champions League.
Serie A title fever is sweeping Naples as the football-mad city hopes that rampant Napoli will end more than three decades of waiting to be crowned kings of Italy.
Napoli must seize their "unprecedented opportunity" to win the Scudetto after reaching 50 points at the halfway mark of the Serie A season by beating Salernitana, said Luciano Spalletti.
Dazzling duo Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have Napoli dreaming after starring in a five-goal massacre of Juventus which made them clear favourites to claim a first Serie A title in over three decades.