ROME -- Napoli have confirmed the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea in a deal worth an initial 30 million euros.

 Serie A club Napoli agreed terms on a transfer earlier this week to bring an end to a long transfer saga which finally reunites the Belgian striker with manager Antonio Conte. Lukaku, 31, completed his medical at the Serie A club on Wednesday and could make his Napoli debut in Saturday’s match against Parma.

 Lukaku reportedly had a 37.8 million pounds release clause inserted in his contract by Chelsea last year, but Napoli have managed to negotiate a fee marginally lower than the figure Chelsea had hoped to sell the striker for.

 The Belgian spent last season on loan at AS Roma, where he scored 13 goals in 32 Serie A appearances as Daniele De Rossi’s side finished sixth. But Napoli fans will hope Lukaku can rediscover his form of the 2020/21 season under Antonio Conte at Inter Milan, where he scored 24 goals in 36 Serie A games to fire the Milan club to their first Scudetto in 11 years.

 Conte appeared to reveal Lukaku’s transfer was confirmed before it was officially announced on Thursday afternoon, saying in a press conference that he hoped the Belgian could “immediately get in sync” with the squad.

 “We need two things from him: firstly, that he knows never to give in and to keep the ball to link up with his team-mates, but also that he knows how to attack the defensive line and the spaces.”

 “He is a good guy, respectable. I would put my hands in fire for him.”

 Napoli are currently 10^th in Serie A, having lost their opening game 3-0 against Verona before beating Bologna last weekend.

 Elsewhere, Italy international Federico Chiesa has completed a transfer to Liverpool, joining for a fee in the region of 10 million pounds. Chiesa had been told he was surplus to requirements under Thiago Motta at Juventus and did not feature in either of their two opening games.

 Chiesa’s Juventus career has been one of mixed fortunes, having failed to register more than ten goals in any season since signing from Fiorentina in 2020, initially on loan before making the move permanent. The Italy international has struggled for form amid injuries but will be hoping to recapture the devastating form of Euro 2020, when he played a pivotal role in Italy winning the tournament.

 “I’m so happy to be a Liverpool player,” the Italian told the club website. “When [sporting director] Richard Hughes called me and he said, ‘Do you want to join Liverpool?’ – and the coach called me – I said yes immediately because I know the history of this club, I know what it represents to the fans.

 Chiesa is Liverpool’s marquee, and only, signing of the summer window but could make his debut against Manchester United on Sunday.

 bq