Belgian national team striker Romelu Lukaku is heading to the Turkish professional football stage, where his father also once played.

Turkish Süper Lig club Fenerbahce announced that it has signed Lukaku from Italian club Napoli.

While the club did not disclose specific contract terms, Italian media reported that Fenerbahce reached an agreement for a base transfer fee of 6 million euros (approximately 9.8 billion won) plus performance-based bonuses.

Before Lukaku, his father, Roger Lukaku, who is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, played for Gençlerbirliği in the Süper Lig.

Lukaku will now pursue his playing career in Turkey, a country where he once lived following his father.

Through the club, Lukaku shared his thoughts, saying, "I am very honored and happy to join Fenerbahce," adding, "It has been a long time since I came back to Turkey. As you know, this is where I spent my childhood and was introduced to the world of professional football with my father. Therefore, this is a very special and emotional moment for me."

He also stated, "My physical condition is 100% and I am ready to play."

Lukaku, the all-time leading goalscorer for the Belgian national team (93 goals in 132 matches), has played for major European league clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United, and Inter Milan.

After joining Napoli in the summer of 2024, he tasted the joy of winning Serie A in his first season, but struggled to show his true form during the 2025–2026 season due to injuries and a slump.

In addition, amid conflicts with the club's leadership, his playing opportunities were significantly reduced, ultimately limiting him to just 64 minutes in official matches.

Nevertheless, he participated in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup as part of the Belgian national team, scoring 3 goals and helping the team advance to the quarterfinals.

Although there were rumors of interest from Besiktas in the Süper Lig—where Oh Hyun-gyu plays—Lukaku donned the Fenerbahce jersey, setting the stage for him to face Oh Hyun-gyu on the pitch.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)