Fenerbahçe approached Napoli's 32-year-old striker, Romelu Lukaku, who was on a shortlist of players. The transfer did not proceed because the relationship between the coach and player had not been consistently positive. Lukaku joined Napoli in August 2024 with a contract until June 2027, and according to reports from January 2026, Napoli's asking price was approximately €15–20 million.