Romelu Lukaku linked with a rumoured return to Everton

Romelu Lukaku has been linked with a rumoured return to Everton after enduring an injury-laden campaign this season.

He’s yet to play a single minute for Napoli this season and could be on the way out of Serie A. Italian newspaper Il Mattino claims that the Toffees have explored the possibility of signing the Belgian this month and have presumably made initial contact with the striker’s representatives.

Fichajes have also reported that Eveton are considering a move for the Belgian international. “The deal is shaping up to be a golden opportunity, given that the Italian club has set a highly competitive price for the transfer. It's estimated that Napoli would accept a payment of between €15 and €20 million to finalize the sale of the experienced striker. This amount is attractive to the Merseyside club's finances, as they seek to upgrade their squad without jeopardizing their financial stability,” stated their website.

Lukaku was a goal machine during his spell at Goodison Park and one of the most important players for the club in the previous decade. He scored 87 goals in 166 appearances across all competitions between 2013 and 2017 and is also the club’s all-time top Premier League goal-scorer with 68 goals. Lukaku joined Manchester United for £75 million in 2017 but his career has been unsettled since then.

He has since played for Inter Milan, Chelsea and Roma before joining Napoli in 2024. He contributed to 25 goals in Napoli’s Serie A-winning campaign last season but has suffered from several fitness problems of late and has fallen down the pecking order for Antonio Conte.

Reader Comments (36)

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Steve Brown 2 Posted 20/01/2026 at 13:36:05

He has been injured this season only.

Last season he scored 14 league goals in 36 games.

But of course, if you'd prefer Beto and Barry...

Jimmy Salt 3 Posted 20/01/2026 at 13:40:26

I would prefer Barry, yes. Beto needs to be moved on.

Just like Everton need to move on from signing has-beens...

Sean Kearns 4 Posted 20/01/2026 at 13:47:57

Paul said no!! 😂 😂 🤣 🤣 you can’t make this shit up!… I can’t stop laughing

Steve Brown 5 Posted 20/01/2026 at 13:49:50

Jimmy, you prefer a kid who has scored 15 goals in Spain and England to an international who has scored 273 goals in England and Italy?

Takes all sorts, I suppose.

If Everton sign Lukaku, Moyes will pick him every time when fit.

Mick O\'Malley 6 Posted 20/01/2026 at 13:58:57

Id have him back in a heartbeat, he's only been injured this season, Barry could learn so much from him, he is still bagging goals at international level as well,, some of our fans wanted the permanently injured Calum Wilson to come in, I'd be absolutely delighted to see him in a blue shirt again, and if it means I never have to set eyes on Beto again it's double the delight

Paul Hewitt 7 Posted 20/01/2026 at 14:01:56

I didn't know the word No was funny?. Each to there own.

Alan McGuffog 8 Posted 20/01/2026 at 14:25:38

Amokachi ?

Dave Abrahams 9 Posted 20/01/2026 at 14:50:12

Alan (8) Well Amokachi scored two in an FA cup semi final while Lukaku missed three sitters and a penalty in the one he played in for us, good goalscorer though no doubt about that but that was then and the premiere league might be a lot faster and tougher than those European leagues he’s been playing the last few years.

Alan J Thompson 10 Posted 20/01/2026 at 14:50:18

Depending on the severity of his injury, why not just offer a straight swap, Beto, who has played in Italy, for Lukaku as Napoli should require a replacement/second striker. Whatever, would Lukaku at 31 or 32 be a long term replacement or is it just the cost of any such deal that appeals, and no Moroccan.

Dave Abrahams 11 Posted 20/01/2026 at 14:52:58

Alan (10) Alan, Lukaku is 33 next May.

Eric Myles 12 Posted 20/01/2026 at 14:59:18

As long as he's learnt to trap a bag of cement since he left us and his first touch doesn't rocket off his shins then he might do better than our current two.

Trevor Powell 13 Posted 20/01/2026 at 15:01:43

Is Mike Trebilcock still available. he scored two in an FA Cup Final... worth a recall?

John Collins 14 Posted 20/01/2026 at 15:27:46

Our style of play means we need a forward with real pace, someone who can pick the ball up deep and break the line, or getting on to through balls.

Imo, given the service our current forwards get, Lukaku is not for us.

Eric Myles 15 Posted 20/01/2026 at 15:31:04

Maybe with our current crop of injured players getting back on the grass again we need to recruit someone to keep the physios busy?

Alan McGuffog 16 Posted 20/01/2026 at 15:33:56

Dave...fair play, I thought he was a fair bit older. Who knows ?

I said on another thread that we've a free hit now ( ain't going down ) in giving Barry a run until the end of season. Maybe there is a player in there. Same goes for Patterson.

Mick O\'Malley 17 Posted 20/01/2026 at 15:36:13

Yes who would want a striker who was our record goal scorer in the PL, has scored nearly 100 international goals just because he missed a few chances in a semi final, he is a far better footballer now than he was, he's still pretty quick, and it would give the fan base a big lift, nah fuck it, let's stick with Beto or get Calum Wilson in

Mark Taylor 18 Posted 20/01/2026 at 15:36:29

Be careful thinking we get mid to late 2010's Lukaku. He wasn't often injured for us. Since he left, injuries have been getting more frequent and longer, especially the hammie injuries. He has had many of these now which is not a good sign. This one has been the worst, the entire season to date.

On big wages and/or any serious transfer fee, I say too risky. We need shut of Beto and a striker who is likely to be available regularly. Maybe a loan deal and swap with Beto with a buy option but definitely too risky to put a lot of eggs in this basket and certainly not 15-20 millions plus big wages on a 3 year deal. That would be madness. Some strikers can survive well into their 30's (Kane, Ronaldo at an extreme) but heffalumps like Lukaku are sick notes waiting to happen.

Jay Harris 19 Posted 20/01/2026 at 15:40:00

No,no and thrice no.

Big wages, too old and an inflated ego.

He WAS a good striker but his best days ended at Man U.

We would probably get Ivan Toney for less and that would be too much.

Jonathan Oppenheimer 21 Posted 20/01/2026 at 16:34:52

I’d say I love the Beto swap option, but not if Beto could fetch us £10-15 million on his own that would allow us to buy a younger player (or right back!!) with more long-term upside on lower wages.

But I imagine hard to know whether anyone would buy Beto in the summer, when the market is much different.

In the scenario in which Lukaku fires us into Europe for next season, then the Beto swap idea is likely a yes — but that also depends on the length of his contract and how high the wages are. In the scenario where he scores 6 goals the rest of the way to Barry’s 3 and we’re still mid-table, but now we’re stuck with an aging Lukaku next season who wants to start every match, then no. I think the latter is more likely.

I’ve talked myself into no.

Mike Price 24 Posted 20/01/2026 at 17:17:16

Europe would be a disaster for us next season.

We’ve nowhere near the quality or depth of squad to compete in Europe and not get dragged into a relegation dogfight.

Hopefully, in a couple of years, we may be better equipped.

Mike Gaynes 26 Posted 20/01/2026 at 17:57:16

BothIl Mattino and Football Italia report that Rom has rejected the idea of returning to Everton.

Jay #19, it seems irrelevant now but you might wanna re-check your historical perspective. After leaving ManU, Rom scored 64 goals in two seasons at Inter. 64, dude. And two years ago he scored 21 at Roma. He's done a whole lotta stuff since departing Old Trafford.

Mark #18, actually, since leaving us Rom has had only one significant injury, a hammie in 2022, and otherwise has been remarkably durable, never playing less than 33 games a season. Per Transfermarkt he missed only 7 games to injury over the previous three seasons until going down with a torn thigh muscle (not a hammie) on a shot in a preseason match in August.

Ian Wilkins 28 Posted 20/01/2026 at 18:00:50

Lukaku surely just paper talk. Not played all season, ageing and injury prone now, doesn’t fit TFG profile.

The Morrocan fella doesn’t look likely either, if there ever was anything it. High wages, prefers Italy it seems.

No mention of any right backs.

Feels like we’re going to ride it out with what we’ve got.

I’m not for adding for adding sake but a bit more quality could just be the spur to lift us up that table, have us nudging the European spots, and we are then a more attractive proposition for others to join in the Summer.

Billy Shears 30 Posted 20/01/2026 at 18:35:51

In a loan move...then yes only if his fitness has been passed by our medical staff...& a great mentor to young Barry to learn from!

Phil Roberts 31 Posted 20/01/2026 at 18:51:07

Steve Brown - you would prefer a 32 year old who has been injured but has scored a load of goals to a 23 year.

Why not Bob Latchford then. He scored 50% more in a season than Lukaku ever scored.

Jonathan Oppenheimer 32 Posted 20/01/2026 at 19:02:00

Kieran 27, I was just dealing in hypotheticals. I can’t imagine anyone wants Beto at this point beyond maybe going back to Portugal for a mid-table squad at £5 million.

As for Rom’s injury record, it may be true that he’s been remarkably healthy, but after this significant injury this season it would still be a huge risk to take on high wages at his age.

David West 35 Posted 20/01/2026 at 20:05:11

A loan would be decent, I worry how is Barry meant to develop if we bring someone in like Lukaku? He's not the player he was! Does Barry just get benched ?

He's definitely improving, with his supply getting better with players returning, I'm hopeful Barry will get 12-15 goals this season.

Bob Parrington 37 Posted 21/01/2026 at 05:49:35

When fit is the major issue here. We've been in this place before with pretty awful consequences. If fit, there's no doubt he would be a very useful addition. Roulette anybody?