Napoli’s Lukaku replacement should be 24-year-old Chelsea star, not Hojlund | OneFootball

Napoli have been dealt a big blow, with Romelu Lukaku suffering a long-term injury, and the Italian club need to sign a top forward if they want to have another successful season.

Lukaku showed his quality for Napoli last campaign and was key in helping them win Serie A with 14 goals and 10 assists in 36 matches.

He was preparing to start the 2025/26 campaign, but has now been ruled out for possibly three months following a thigh injury in pre-season.

There are plenty of good forwards that the Italian club can sign, with the likes of Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund linked.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 09: Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United warms up during the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and ACF Fiorentina at Old Trafford on August 09, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Hojlund played for Atalanta back in 2022/23 and managed nine goals and two assists. He then scored 10 times in 30 Premier League appearances for Man United in 2023/24, but really struggled last season, only scoring four Premier League goals.

Hojlund is still only 22, but there are better options out there for Napoli, and they could definitely attract top talent after winning the league title and qualifying for the Champions League.

Why Jackson would fit the bill for Napoli

WROCLAW, POLAND – MAY 28: Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea in action during the UEFA Conference League Final 2025 between Real Betis Balompie and Chelsea FC at on May 28, 2025 in Wroclaw, Poland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

One good option for Napoli would be Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. He has fallen out of favour with Enzo Maresca and was not in the squad to face Crystal Palace for the first Premier League match of the season.

The latest rumours suggest he will be either sold or loaned this summer, with the likes of Aston Villa and Bayern Munich linked.

Jackson managed 10 goals and five assists in the Premier League last season in 30 appearances, and managed 14 goals and five assists in 35 top-flight appearances the season prior.

The Senegalese forward was also key when he played for the Blues in the Conference League, scoring twice in the semi-final and once in the final in his three appearances in the European competition.

Having a striker able to score consistently and in big European matches is key for Napoli this season as they look to compete well in multiple competitions, including the Champions League.

epa12092555 Napoli’s forward Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring the goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match SSC Napoli vs CF Genoa at Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, 11 May 2025. EPA-EFE/CESARE ABBATE

Napoli’s chances of winning the competition are seen as slim, with their probability of lifting the Champions League title as low as 3.8%, which is the same as their Italian counterparts Inter Milan.

Some of the big favourites to win the Champions League include the likes of current holders PSG, as well as Liverpool and Barcelona.

Presumably some of the reasoning behind their probability being so low is due to the fact that Lukaku is injured. He is a big loss for the Italian club, so it is no shock to see them wanting to sign a replacement whilst he is missing.

Jackson may not be as physical as Lukaku, but he definitely has a lot of similar traits to the forwards that have been linked to Napoli this summer like Hojlund and Darwin Nunez, who moved to Saudi Arabia instead.

The Chelsea striker is good on the ball, has an eye for goal, and also looks to create goals as well as score them. If Napoli want to win the league again, as they are predicted to this season, a new striker will be key.

Antonio Conte always seems to get the best out of his striker, and with the goals that Jackson has managed in the Premier League, there is no doubt that he could excel in Italy and help Napoli have another fantastic season.