Lukaku Ruled Out of Napoli’s Serie A Opener, Chelsea Reject Bayern’s Loan Bid for Nkunku

Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku has been ruled out of Napoli's Serie A opener after tearing a muscle in his left thigh during a friendly match against Olympiakos. The Italian champions have suggested that the 32-year-old may need surgery, with reports indicating he could be sidelined until November.

Napoli will start their title defense without Lukaku when they face Sassuolo on Saturday. In other news, Chelsea has rejected Bayern Munich's loan bid for Christopher Nkunku, with the Premier League club reportedly open to a permanent deal for the French forward.

Nkunku, who previously played for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, scored 33 goals in 34 league matches before moving to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is said to have plans to include Nkunku in the squad for their upcoming match against Crystal Palace.