Ex-Manchester United forward Romelu Lukaku was sold after struggled with his weight and conditioning, yet the Belgian forward has battled back at his lean best at his latest club Napoli
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Updated 10:20, 16 Mar 2025
Romelu Lukaku in his Manchester United days
Romelu Lukaku in his Manchester United days
Former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku was forced to lose 20lbs at latest club Napoli, years after being sold by the Red Devils after issues with his weight.
The Belgian striker arrived at Old Trafford from Everton in 2017 for a deal worth an initial £75million. But just two seasons later, Lukaku was shipped out to Serie A side Inter Milan after he reportedly shocked the United backroom staff with his conditioning, as per The Sun, after turning up to pre-season training carrying extra pounds.
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Lukaku was thought to be 9lbs over his ideal weight when he returned to the club's Carrington training centre and was hitting over the 100kg (15.7st) mark when he arrived in Italy back in 2019.
Since leaving United, Lukaku has had stints at Inter, on two occasions, another at Chelsea where he flopped, and Roma – but he now plays his football in Naples under ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte. However, Conte and his staff challenged the powerhouse forward to trim himself of 9kg (20lbs) before the start of this season.
As told by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Lukaku 'arrived out of shape and with very poor preparation'. Yet thanks to a rapid change in his approach to diet and exercise, Lukaku lost over a stone.
The 31-year-old previously claimed his weight issues were down to a problem with his digestive system. “Normally I have a fine digestive system,” Lukaku told ESPN in 2019. “I digest everything very quickly. That’s how it had been my entire life. But what the nutritionist said to me was, it had stopped working.”
Romelu Lukaku training for Manchester United
Romelu Lukaku reportedly left Manchester United overweight(Image: Suhaimi Abdullah/International Champions Cup/Getty Images)
At Inter, Lukaku was put on a special diet that included fish, shiitake pasta and raw vegetables. The change made an immediate difference as he lost 10lbs in just 12 days.
He has since followed a similar path in order to return to peak condition at Napoli. “I never eat in the morning; I follow a strict diet,” Lukaku said recently in an interview with Il Corriere dello Sport. "At Inter I weighed 101 kilos and in Napoli I weighed 99. However, my ideal weight is another: 102 kilos,” he added.
Lukaku – who bagged 42 goals in 96 appearances for United – has scored 10 times and racked up nine assists in 28 matches for Gli Azzurri this season, and he attributes his strong form with the changes he's made.
In a bid to maintain his size and power, yet without excess weight, Lukaku's menu now consists of salads, fish, chicken, and shirataki pasta, which are free from carbohydrates and gluten, sweet potatoes, black rice and gnocchi.
Romelu Lukaku on the Napoli training pitch
Romelu Lukaku has hit form since joining Napoli and getting into shape
The 6’3 striker also practices the "Italian method" when it comes to training. In Belgium and England, he trained every day, sometimes multiple times, and he was convinced that more time on the field would improve his performance.
In Italy, however, he learned about "invisible training," which involves resting well, staying hydrated before bed, and getting plenty of sleep – and the approach helps him recover both physically and mentally.