Romelu Lukaku's turbulent chapter at Napoli appears to be reaching its final pages. The Belgian striker has once again departed Naples to return to his homeland for rehabilitation work, but this time, whispers from Italy suggest it might be a permanent goodbye between "Big Rom" and the Partenopei.

Lukaku's season has been a frustrating saga of setbacks. After suffering a serious hamstring injury during Napoli's last pre-season friendly, the 30-year-old has barely featured for the club. His competitive debut didn't arrive until January 25, and since then, he's managed just 64 minutes of action across seven appearances—a stark contrast to the dominant force fans remember from his earlier days.

The situation took a dramatic turn in March when Lukaku went AWOL, traveling to Antwerp without club approval to continue his recovery. Napoli responded with a fine, but the damage to their relationship was done. He briefly returned to Italy for talks, only to head back to Belgium—this time with permission.

Now, after a short stint back in Naples last week, Lukaku is once again boarding a plane to Belgium. His destination? The national team's training center, where he'll prepare for the 2026 World Cup. Reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest he won't return before the season ends, and Napoli are now actively looking to sell.

For the club, it's a delicate balancing act. While they don't want further drama with a player still carrying significant value, they're also at risk of taking a capital loss on their investment. The hope is to maintain a positive relationship and find a buyer—a move that would close the book on one of the most unexpected and underwhelming spells of Lukaku's career.