'A leader' - Former Napoli striker explains why Napoli boss Conte chose Lukaku over Osimhen

Former Napoli striker Emanuele Calaiò has explained why Antonio Conte opted for Romelu Lukaku to replace Victor Osimhen.

This summer, Conte requested Lukaku as the new focal point for his Napoli project to replace the Super Eagles striker.

The Belgian forward joined Napoli permanently from Chelsea for a fee worth about €30 million.

Meanwhile, Osimhen secured a season-long loan move to Galatasaray after a chaotic transfer window, during which he was linked to several top clubs, including Chelsea, PSG, and Al-Ahli.

Since joining Napoli, Lukaku has made an immediate impact, scoring a late equalizer on his debut to help the team secure a 2-1 victory against Parma.

The 31-year-old has since scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists in 5 appearances across all competitions for Napoli.

In comparing the two players, Calaio acknowledged that Osimhen is physically stronger than Lukaku but noted that Conte chose Lukaku for his leadership qualities.

"Osimhen is stronger than Lukaku, but Conte evidently chose the Belgian because he is a locker room man, a leader, Calaio told Radio Kiss Kiss, via Napoli Magazine.

Calaio further highlighted Lukaku's character during the match against Monza and his commitment to the team, noting that he chose to remain with Napoli instead of joining Belgium for the last two international windows.

"Have you seen what he did with Monza? It was clear from the TV, he always encouraged his teammates, he guided them.

“Then he won’t go to the national team for the second time, it’s not for everyone, it’s a clear signal, he is a player who has put himself completely at the disposal of his teammates and Napoli.”

On the other hand, Osimhen has enjoyed a strong start at Galatasaray, scoring two goals and providing 4 assists in his first 4 games across all competitions.

Despite the complexities of the summer situation with Napoli, both the Super Eagles striker and the club have moved on and are performing excellently apart from each other.

Adeyemi Adewale 

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