NAPOLI ISSUES "DISCIPLINARY ACTION" WARNING AFTER ROMELU LUKAKU FAILS TO REPORT BACK
Napoli issues a sharp response after Romelu Lukaku fails to return from Belgium, threatening indefinite suspension.
Napoli has issued a sharp official response after Romelu Lukaku failed to return to training following the international break. The Belgian striker stayed in Belgium despite instructions from the club, prompting the team's leadership to consider serious disciplinary measures.
Something clearly broke down in communication. While his teammates came back after their national duties, Lukaku remained in his home country. This unusual absence led Napoli to publicly criticise him, an uncommon move for a club of their stature.
The heart of the issue seems to be Lukaku’s choice to focus on personal recovery away from the club’s medical team. Although he withdrew from the Belgian squad last week due to fitness concerns, he decided to work with private trainers instead of coming back to Napoli. This decision reportedly lacked the club’s approval.
Napoli’s management made no effort to hide their frustration with Lukaku’s defiance. The board is now looking at options like imposing a heavy fine or even removing him from the first-team squad completely.
In their official statement, the club declared: “SSC Napoli can confirm that Romelu Lukaku did not respond to today’s call to return to training. The club reserves the right to consider taking the appropriate disciplinary action, as well as to determine whether the player will continue to train with the team for an indefinite period.”
The matter has grown beyond a simple sports dispute. Napoli’s legal advisors are reviewing the striker’s contract closely. According to reports from Sky Sports via Football Italia, lawyers are assessing whether Lukaku’s “indefinite” absence could warrant harsher penalties, beyond just a fine for a missed week. If things aren’t resolved soon, the club might fully sideline him.
This issue arises at a tough moment for Napoli, who are gearing up for an important domestic clash. They will face AC Milan on Monday in a game that could influence the standings at the top of Serie A. Currently, Napoli sits third with 62 points from 30 games, just behind Milan in second by a single point, while Inter leads the table with 69 points.
SUNDERLAND FRONTRUNNERS FOR JHON LUCUMí AS BOLOGNA DIRECTOR CONFIRMS SUMMER EXIT
Sunderland targets Lucumí and Jonathan David to sustain their top-flight momentum and European ambitions in 2026.
Sunderland have emerged as the frontrunner in the race to sign a Serie A player who appears set to leave his current club.
The Black Cats have developed a solid approach to remaining competitive in the top flight, putting an end to the kind of struggles promoted teams have faced in recent seasons.
They’re even within reach of qualifying for European competition this season, trailing sixth-place Chelsea by just five points. Notably, Sunderland will face Chelsea on the final day of the campaign, adding extra significance to that gap.
Over the past two years, Sunderland’s project has gained considerable appeal in the Premier League, bringing in players like Brian Brobbey and Granit Xhaka while also showing interest in others such as Jonathan David.
Acquiring someone of Jonathan David’s calibre would capture Sunderland’s ambitions since their return to the top tier. Their aims go beyond merely avoiding relegation or settling for a mid-table finish, setting a standard other clubs might want to mirror.
But David isn’t the only target on their agenda. Sunderland is also looking to strengthen its defence once the summer transfer window opens.
While Daniel Ballard and Nordi Mukiele have put in strong performances in their first Premier League season, injuries have highlighted the club’s lack of depth in defence.
Because of this, the club has shifted attention back to a longer-term target. Reports from Italy, as picked up by Sport Witness, suggest Sunderland is now leading the race to sign Jhon Lucumi, who is close to departing Serie A side Bologna.
Bologna’s sporting director, Giovanni Sartori, has openly acknowledged that it would be pointless to deny Lucumi’s likely exit this summer. This honesty might smooth Sunderland’s path after they failed to agree on terms with Bologna last summer when Lucumi was already a top target.
Given that Como scout Ben Mattinson described Lucumi as “excellent” in 2024, it’s clear why Sunderland remains interested. Securing him would represent another bold move, and with Bologna’s stance now more transparent, negotiations may prove less challenging this time around.
INSIDE PEDRAG MIJATOVIC’S FIERCE OPPOSITION TO ANDREJ KOSTIC’S AC MILAN TRANSFER
Partizan Vice-President Pedrag Mijatovic opposes Andrej Kostic’s €3.5m AC Milan move, citing a "breach of bylaws."
The vice-president of Partizan Belgrade has voiced strong opposition to the transfer of Andrej Kostic to AC Milan.
For months, Milan showed interest in Kostic as he made a name for himself at Partizan. After the winter transfer window, it seemed the opportunity might have slipped away, yet a deal was eventually reached. Kostic underwent a medical on Sunday ahead of a €3.5 million move to Milan.
This season, the Montenegrin forward has netted 10 goals in the Serbian SuperLiga and appeared in both the Europa Conference League and Europa League qualifiers. While he’s widely seen as a talent for the future, he’s currently making a solid impact as well.
Despite this, there isn’t unanimous support within Partizan for the transfer. In an interview with sportske.net (reported via MilanNews), Predrag Mijatovic, Partizan’s vice-president, made it clear he is against selling Kostic.
“Regarding the news about Andrej Kostić’s move to AC Milan, I feel obliged to address the Partizan supporters and the broader sports community to firmly distance myself from this decision,” he said.
He went on to state that he wasn’t consulted at all during the transfer process and had never even seen AC Milan’s offer. Had he been involved, he insists he would have strongly opposed accepting what he described as a “paltry” sum.
Mijatovic highlighted that this action breaches the club’s bylaws, considering that his role explicitly covers sporting affairs, including transfer policies and player development. He questioned how the club can continue selling its brightest prospects cheaply, even hinting at the possibility of free transfers.
He also mentioned that the rest of the board, led by Rasim Ljajić, knows he’s been in discussions with several top European clubs regarding the club’s young talents, including Kostic. Throughout those talks, he maintained that their players carry multimillion-euro release clauses and that the club’s strategy involves properly nurturing their potential.
Mijatovic worries this sale could set a harmful precedent, undermining the market value of their young talents. As vice-president of one of the region’s biggest sporting institutions, he demands full transparency not only about this transfer but also about the club’s management decisions overall, and he calls for it to happen without delay.
Finally, he urges the board to convene an extraordinary meeting soon, stressing the need to clarify the club’s direction and strategy. He points out that the club must find financial solutions that don’t compromise its interests or violate its principles.
In short, from Mijatovic’s perspective, this transfer raises serious questions about governance and the future approach to developing and managing Partizan’s promising players.
