Naples: The Belgian striker, Romelu Lukaku, will be sidelined due to injury, and as such, he will miss first-team matches because of a left thigh rectus femoris muscle injury sustained during a friendly match against Olympiakos Piraeus last Thursday, SSC Napoli highlighted in a statement on Monday.

According to Qatar News Agency, the statement added that the 32-year-old Belgian will undergo medical follow-up to determine the duration of his absence, which may prompt the club to enter the transfer market to reinforce attacking options during his absence.

Lukaku, the all-time top scorer for Belgium, previously played for Roma and Inter Milan on loan from Chelsea before joining Napoli in August 2024.

Napoli is scheduled to begin its Serie A campaign away against Sassuolo on Saturday.