Napoli begin their Serie A title defence on Saturday with a trip to newly promoted Sassuolo, but their preparations have been disrupted by a serious injury to star striker Romelu Lukaku.

Kevin De Bruyne, one of Italy’s most high-profile summer arrivals, is set for his full debut under Antonio Conte and will be expected to spearhead the champions’ push for back-to-back Scudetti. The Belgian playmaker joined alongside Luka Modric in a headline-grabbing transfer window that fans had hoped would spark a potent link-up with his international teammate Lukaku.

That partnership, however, has been derailed after Lukaku suffered a torn thigh muscle during a friendly against Olympiakos. The 31-year-old forward could be sidelined until 2026, according to Italian media, forcing Napoli to accelerate their search for attacking reinforcements.

New signing Lorenzo Lucca and Dutch forward Noa Lang will be tasked with leading the frontline, while Giovanni Simeone and Giacomo Raspadori’s exits have further reshaped the squad.

De Bruyne, who struggled with recurring hamstring issues in his final two seasons at Manchester City, showed flashes of brilliance in preseason by scoring twice and assisting in a 3-2 win over Girona. “I feel like I still have motivation and quality, and I wanted to play at the highest level,” he said ahead of the new campaign.

Napoli have also bolstered their defence with the arrivals of goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic and Dutch centre-back Sam Beukema. Conte’s decision to remain in Naples, rather than return to Juventus, has provided the club with rare stability after the turbulence that followed Luciano Spalletti’s departure two years ago.

Elsewhere, rivals have strengthened in a bid to dethrone Napoli. AC Milan added Modric and midfield prospects Samuele Ricci and Ardon Jashari, while Inter Milan, now under rookie coach Cristian Chivu, brought in young talents Ange-Yoan Bonny and Luis Enrique as they aim to bounce back from a disappointing season.

Roma, led by Gian Piero Gasperini, begin against Bologna, while Juventus, chasing a first league title in five years, face Parma with Canadian striker Jonathan David spearheading their attack.

Weekend Serie A Fixtures (GMT):