According to French media FootMercato, due to an accidental injury, Naples has formulated five forward candidates to replace Lukaku, including De Bruyne's former teammate Sterling.

It is reported that Conte, De Laurentis and Manner held an emergency meeting to confirm that the signing of aid is necessary. The club is inspecting multiple candidates, from Zilkze, Kelstovic to Dorfbik, Pinamonti... and Sterling mentioned in recent negotiations.

Lukaku has severely torn the rectus femoris muscle in his left thigh in a friendly match against Olympiacos. The examination results confirmed the severity of the injury, and Lukaku must immediately initiate a strict rehabilitation plan under the full supervision of the medical team. The club also revealed that it will conduct surgical consultations in the near future, and the suspense caused by the possibility of surgery may further extend its absence.

Although the specific duration of the injury has not been determined, it is initially estimated that it will not be possible to return as early as the end of the year. This will be a heavy blow for Conte and Naples' competitive goals.

Naples focuses on two strategic options: move Lukaku out of the official list, free up signing places to sign in to the heavyweight striker, or retain his position and introduce potential new stars. However, the club was not in panic, and the meeting reiterated its continued trust in new players Luca, Noah Lang and Nerez. But no matter what, the Naples management reached a consensus: a forward strengthening is imperative.

Naples has multiple specific candidates to replace Lukaku. It is understood that Zilkize is still the club's number one target, but due to the high costs and Manchester United's tough attitude in negotiations, the transaction prospects are subtle. Rumors about Sterling are rekindling, and Naples is preparing to restart negotiations in the face of this long-standing issue. A few hours ago, the management had conducted information communication through the original intermediary channel that enabled De Bruyne to join in May. Naples executives hope that Chelsea can lower the €25 million asking price.

Given that Sterling currently has an annual salary of up to £16.9 million, Naples tends to rent and hopes that the other party will bear some of the salary. At the same time, Napoli is also paying attention to Lecce player Kelstovic and has established initial contact through the player team. Dovbik, who currently plays for Rome, is also likely to enter the market, and Rome is raising funds to meet other signing goals for Gasperini. Finally, as a reliable alternative, the negotiations with Sassuolo have made significant progress.

All options indicate that Naples is actively exploring a variety of options in order to fill the gap in Lukaku and maintain the competitiveness of the front line. Management is well aware that time is tight and must race against time.