Romelu Lukaku is facing potential disciplinary action at Napoli after failing to return to training.
The striker pulled out of the Belgium squad for friendlies against the United States and Mexico in North America but headed back to his home country for treatment.
Lukaku has made only seven appearances this season, all of them as a substitute, after missing the first part of the campaign with a serious hamstring injury.
A Napoli statement on Tuesday afternoon read: “SSC Napoli can confirm that Romelu Lukaku did not respond to today’s call to return to training.
“The club reserves the right to consider taking the appropriate disciplinary action, as well as to determine whether the player will continue to train with the team for an indefinite period.”
Lukaku explained his decision to travel to Belgium in an Instagram post on Monday.
The 32-year-old former Chelsea and Manchester United forward, who joined Napoli in 2024, wrote: “The truth is the last few weeks I wasn’t feeling right physically and I had it checked out while I was in Belgium and it showed that there was an inflammation and liquid on my hip flexor muscle next to my scar tissue.
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“Since it is the second problem I had since coming back early November, I chose to do the rehab in Belgium.”
Lukaku insisted his future remains in Italy, adding: “I could never turn my back on Napoli, never. There’s nothing more I would love to do than play and win [for] my team.
“But right now I have to make sure I’m 100% physically cause I haven’t been recently and it took a toll mentally.”
Napoli sit third in the Serie A table, seven points behind leaders Inter Milan.
