Lukaku absent from Belgium Nations League squad

New Napoli signing Romelu Lukaku will miss Belgium’s two opening matches in the Nations League after being omitted from Domenico Tedesco’s squad on Friday. 

Lukaku’s move to Italy after a difficult spell at Chelsea for a reported 30 million euros ($33.2 million) was confirmed on Thursday. 

The 31-year-old, however, had asked to be rested from the national side as they face their Nations League openers against Israel on September 6 and France three days later. 

After a disappointing Euros which saw them losing to the French in the last 16, Tedesco has left out some familiar names, notably Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who has been at loggerheads with the coach for several months.

Defenders Axel Witsel and Jan Vertonghen, wingers Leandro Trossard and Yannick Carrasco are also missing from the squad. 

In response, Tedesco has gone for youth to freshen up the group. 

Dortmund’s 18-year-old striker Julien Duranville and 22-year-old Genoa defender Koni De Winter come in along with 20-year-old Arne Engels, who has been linked with an imminent move from Augsburg to Celtic. 

Because of the political situation in Israel, Belgium’s opener has been moved to Debrecen in Hungary. 

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Al-Qadsiah/KSA), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town/ENG).

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham/ENG), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Koni De Winter (Genoa/ITA), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Wout Faes (Leicester/ENG), Thomas Meunier (Lille/FRA), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER).

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/ENG), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta/ITA), Arne Engels (Augsburg/GER), Orel Mangala (Lyon/FRA), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa/ENG), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan/ITA), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa/ENG), Arthur Vermeeren (RB Leipzig/GER).

Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City/ENG), Julien Duranville (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla/ESP), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig/GER).