Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku has faced weight issues throughout his career
Former Manchester United and Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku was told to lose 20lbs after joining Napoli last summer, having battled weight concerns throughout his career.
The 31-year-old striker has spent over a decade as one of the best forwards in European football, but that hasn't stopped questions about his physique being raised. Lukaku joined United for an initial £75million in 2017 and scored 42 goals in 96 games, but he was sold to Inter Milan two years later.
The Sun reported that United's backroom staff were surprised by the striker's physical condition after returning to training carrying 9lbs extra weight and tipping the scales at over 100kg (15.7st). During his time in Italy, Inter placed Lukaku on a new diet after discovering a digestive issue, and his new routine led him to rapidly drop weight and fire his team to the Serie A title.
A briefly unsuccessful spell with Chelsea followed in 2021 before eventually reuniting with former Inter boss Antonio Conte at Napoli. However, Lukaku was soon tasked with losing 9kg (20 lbs) before the start of the season.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Lukaku 'arrived out of shape and with very poor preparation' after joining Napoli. But thanks to a swift shift in his diet and exercise regime, Lukaku lost over a stone.
The 31-year-old had previously attributed his weight struggles to digestive issues. "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."
At Inter, Lukaku was placed on a bespoke diet featuring fish, shiitake pasta and raw vegetables. He has since slightly adapted his approach in Naples, eating salads, fish, chicken, and shirataki pasta, which are carbohydrate and gluten-free, as well as sweet potatoes, black rice and gnocchi
"I never eat in the morning; I follow a strict diet," Lukaku recently told Il Corriere dello Sport. "At Inter I weighed 101 kilos and in Napoli I weighed 99. However, my ideal weight is another: 102 kilos."
Lukaku has scored 10 goals and contributed nine assists in 28 matches for Napoli this term. He credits his impressive form to the changes he's implemented. and has also embraced the "Italian method" in his training.
Having previously trained daily, sometimes multiple times, in Belgium and England, he believed more time on the pitch would enhance his performance. However, in Italy, he discovered the concept of "invisible training", which emphasises the importance of proper rest, hydration before going to bed, and ample sleep, aiding physical and mental recovery.