Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku is pushing for an early return to action after suffering a thigh injury in a pre-season friendly.

Romelu Lukaku is working hard to recover from a thigh injury that has kept him sidelined since August. The Belgian striker suffered a significant injury during Napoli’s final pre-season friendly against Olympiacos, which was expected to keep him out for three to four months. 

However, Lukaku is determined to return to action as soon as possible and has opted out of surgery to avoid prolonging his recovery time.

He’s currently in Belgium, working on his rehabilitation while staying in close contact with Napoli’s medical team. The striker’s target is to be available for Napoli’s Serie A clash against Atalanta on September 22, although it seems ambitious given his current recovery stage.

The injury has already impacted Napoli’s season, with the team forced to sign Rasmus Hojlund on loan to bolster their attacking options. Lukaku’s absence was also felt in Napoli’s Champions League squad for the first half of the season. Despite this, the striker is pushing to return to action by November, which would give Napoli a much-needed boost.

As Lukaku works towards his return, Napoli will need to rely on other attacking options to fill the void left by the experienced striker. With Lorenzo Lucca and Rasmus Hojlund leading the charge, Napoli will hope to maintain their strong start to the season.