Welcome to Calcio Square, an email newsletter dedicated to Serie A and Italian football. I publish essays every Monday and Thursday. You can email me with feedback at hello@calciosquare.com.

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Now, onto today's issue.

Romelu Lukaku has been feted everywhere he's gone. He's also left every single club he's played for as public enemy number one. That's just his story: He professes his love for his new outfit before doing something that betrays the love that supporters return to him.

Lukaku even dumped the late Mino Raiola as his agent when he learned that he was moving to Manchester United instead of Chelsea, the supposed club of his heart. The Belgian striker eventually found his way back to the Blues in 2021 and up until recently remained on their books as an albatross, a club-record signing gone horribly wrong. He's most certainly not welcome back at Stamford Bridge.

He's done the same song and dance at Napoli, his eighth stop on his circuitous football journey, and for now is in the good graces of Neapolitans reveling in the possibility of winning a second Scudetto in three seasons.

But he hasn't gotten praise for his usual goal-scoring ability. While he has scored some big goals — most recently in the drought-snapping win over Fiorentina and against Juventus, Atalanta, and AC Milan — he's completely out of the scoring race with just 10 this season.

That's because Antonio Conte, one of the only people who's supported Lukaku in more place than one, doesn't necessarily need him to score anymore. Conte needs him to be the facilitator.

We don't often see Lukaku sprinting at defenders as he did when he skinned Serie A alive with Inter during their championship-winning 2020-21 season. He plays a lot more with his back to goal, using his big frame to draw the attention of defenders before laying off for free runners. Lukaku doesn't even shoot that much. He's averaging less than two shots per 90 — by far the fewest haul in any of his last nine seasons. He's also dribbling far fewer times than he ever has in his career.

Lukaku is instead doing the dirty work of the traditional center-forward, acting as a target man for the purposes of Napoli's build-up play more than anything else. He's truly sacrificing himself more than he has done ever before. It's not about the glory he can bring but the help he can provide. He's a big reason why Scott McTominay and Frank Anguissa have been able to contribute so much offensively: With Lukaku making himself look busy in dangerous areas, Napoli's two high-flying midfielders often find a lot of joy in the half-spaces his hold-up play creates.

There's a selfless streak in the player who's left a trail of disappointment in his wake. Maybe this story won't end as badly as the others he's authored.