Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will be sidelined for at least three months due to a hamstring injury sustained in Napoli's latest match, Serie A's leading club announced on Tuesday. De Bruyne scored the opening goal in Napoli's 3-1 victory over title rivals Inter Milan on Saturday but had to leave the field immediately after taking a penalty and was unable to continue. 'The picture will be clearer tomorrow (Wednesday) as the surgery is scheduled for that day, but we don't know the exact duration of his absence yet,' said sporting director Gabriel Oriali. He added, 'It will likely be between three and four months, which is unfortunate because he had adapted perfectly to the team.' Since joining Napoli from Manchester City in the summer, the 34-year-old De Bruyne has scored four goals, including three penalties and one direct free kick. However, Oriali brought some positive news for Napoli fans, announcing that Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku will return to training this week, without specifying a date for his match fitness. Lukaku, who suffered a thigh injury in a pre-season friendly, has yet to feature for Napoli in their title defence. Napoli currently top the Serie A table, level on 18 points with Roma, ahead of their match against Lecce.
