Romelu Lukaku has revealed how much of a part he played in persuading Kevin De Bruyne to join Napoli and also named a surprising role model.
What Did Romelu Lukaku Say About Kevin De Bruyne’s Move To Napoli?
Napoli picked up their fourth Serie A title in the 2024/25 season, edging out Inter Milan on the final day thanks to goals from Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku.
McTominay, who has recently been nominated for the Ballon d’oR award, was one of the talking points of the season as the Scotsman stunned supporters with his performances and won the leagues’ MVP award.
However, Lukaku also played a huge part in Napoli’s title winning campaign by contributing to 24 goals in 36 league appearances (14G + 10A) and regaining the recognition that had been lost from his days with Chelsea.
The Belgian international has also played a huge part in Napoli’s 2025/26 season, despite a ball not being kicked, as the prolific striker helped to bring Kevin De Bruyne to Naples.
After ending his time in Manchester, KDB signed for Antonio Conte’s side as a free agent and in a recent interview, Lukaku revealed how much of a part he played in convincing his international teammate to join him in Italy.
Lukaku said: “Very little. Just two calls, very simple. I explained to him what it means to play here, that we’re a team that wants to improve and confirm our position for next year. It’ll be a big challenge, but he likes challenges.”
De Bruyne has already played his first minutes as a Napoli player, taking part in three out of their four pre-season friendlies so far and is set to play a huge part in Conte’s system this season.
Who Is Lukaku’s Role Model?
Lukaku first caught the eye during his loan spell with West Brom in the Premier League, as the Belgian contributed to 21 goals in 34 appearances for the Baggies (17G + 4A).
His performances in the Midlands meant that Everton signed the Belgian on loan in the following season, before committing to a permanent deal in July 2014 for around $40m.
During his time in Merseyside, Lukaku scored 87 goals in 166 appearances and in July 2017, Lukaku joined Manchester United for a staggering $97.5m.
Despite scoring 42 goals for the Red Devils across two seasons, the Belgian never really settled in Manchester and joined Inter in August 2019 – winning the league title in his second season.
After an impressive spell in Milan, Lukaku completed his biggest transfer ever and returned to Chelsea for over $100m, but endured a miserable 2021/22 campaign with the Blues.
He then returned to Inter on loan for the 2022/23 campaign, before coming back to Italy on loan for the 2023/24 season with Roma and then completing a permanent move to Napoli in August 2024.
During his various spells in Italy, Lukaku has made 165 Serie A appearances and contributed to 114 goals (84G + 30A) – being one of the favorites to win the league Golden Boot next season on offshore sportsbooks.
The Belgian has become synonymous with goal-scoring and is looking to follow in the footsteps of some of the sport’s biggest names, as he approaches 33-years of age.
During his recent interview, Lukaku highlighted the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Lewandowski and Karim Beznema, but also gave a mention to Lebron James.
Lukaku said: “Of course, we have the tools to always do better. I have a gym at my house. Messi, Ronaldo, Lewandowski, and Ibra are great, but my role model is Benzema, who won the Ballon d’Or after turning 32. You have to look forward with the right mentality. LeBron James says so too.”
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