De Bruyne Set To Join Napoli As Club President Confirms Talks Are Advanced

Kevin De Bruyne looks ready to join Napoli. The club’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, said they are close to signing the Belgian midfielder. De Bruyne will leave Manchester City this summer.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Napoli‘s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, said that Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne will likely join the Italian champions this summer. He told Rai Sport, “I really think Kevin De Bruyne will now join us and become a Napoli player.” De Laurentiis said he had a video call with De Bruyne, his wife, and their nine-year-old son, calling it “beautiful.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

De Bruyne’s ten-year stay at Manchester City is ending as his contract will run out on June 30, 2025. He has been very successful at the club, winning six Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy. However, City have not offered him a new contract. Although the 33-year-old midfielder has been linked with MLS clubs, such as Chicago Fire, he seems to want to play at a high level in Europe and will likely join Napoli.

Napoli recently won the Serie A title for the 2024-25 season and held an open-top bus parade in the city. De Bruyne would be joining a team that is doing very well under manager Antonio Conte, who led them to win the domestic title over Champions League finalists Inter Milan.

TRANSFER DETAILS EMERGING

Reports say Napoli offered De Bruyne a good three-year contract. He would earn €6 million per season for the first two years and €5 million for the third year. The total deal is worth about €27 million ($30.6 million, £22.6 million) and includes a signing fee.

De Bruyne’s wife visited Naples to look for homes and schools for their family. De Laurentiis claimed the Belgian has “already bought a beautiful house” in the area. De Bruyne and his wife were married in Sorrento, Italy, in 2017, which shows their connection to the country.

WHAT NEXT FOR DE BRUYNE?

Despite being confident about the deal, the Napoli president said it’s not officially done yet. He said, “We can’t say it until we have something in black and white. We are serious, that I know.” Reports say De Bruyne might complete his move to Napoli in the next two weeks.

The midfielder will finish his last game for Manchester City against Fulham in the 2024-25 Premier League season, where City are trying to qualify for the Champions League. After that, he will go to Italy to negotiate and sign his contract with the Serie A champions. This could be one of the biggest transfers of the summer window, which will close on September 1.