How Romelu Lukaku beat Victor Osimhen to Napoli record

Romelu Lukaku has wasted no time making his mark at Napoli, with Friday’s goal and two assists further strengthening that belief. 

The Belgian striker has been directly involved in an astonishing six goals in his first five Serie A appearances for the club, scoring three and setting up three. 

This remarkable feat makes him the most impactful player in their first five games for Napoli since the league expanded to 20 teams in the 2004/05 season.

Lukaku's immediate impact underscores his exceptional form and seamless integration into Antonio Conte’s attacking system, with his ability to both find the back of the net and create opportunities for his teammates crucial to the Partenopei’s early success this season.

The motivated player’s determination to make a statement after his summer transfer from Chelsea is evident, as he is proving to be a valuable asset for his new club after replacing Victor Osimhen in Naples.

By contrast, Osimhen did not start as strongly for Napoli, albeit having joined the club as a 21-year-old from Lille. 

While a shoulder injury sustained on international duty with Nigeria ruled out the forward for a couple of months before testing positive for Coronavirus, he found the back of the net once and assisted another in his opening five Serie A games, setting up Piotr Zielinski against Genoa in gameweek two before scoring against Atalanta the next gameweek.

Conte’s men return to action after the international break with a trip to Empoli on October 20, 2024.