Kevin De Bruyne's wife has spoken out about her husband's difficulties in Italy
Kevin De Bruyne and Michèle De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne and his wife, Michele, are unsettled(Image: WWD via Getty Images)
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Kevin De Bruyne and his wife are desperate to leave Italy amid his links to a move to Everton. The Manchester City legend's future at Napoli has been thrown into doubt after it was reported that he could leave as early as January, six months before the end of his contract.
A report from Italy then claimed that Everton had been in touch with the midfielder's representatives about a potential move to Merseyside. PSV Eindhoven have also been linked with the 35-year-old playmaker.
Michele De Bruyne has already made it clear the couple aren't entirely happy in Naples. Speaking to Belgian magazine NINA in September, she said they plan to settle back in the Belgian province of Limburg.
Michele also spoke about how simpler life was in Manchester than in Naples, where De Bruyne has to lead a "restricted life" because of football star status. She said: "Of course, we think about the future together. And increasingly often, we say to each other, 'We are going to live here in Limburg. The sooner we get here, the better.'
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"Kevin leads a very restricted life in Napoli. It's not much fun for him. Besides, we can't do anything together as a family in the city. That's the other side of the coin, isn't it?
"In Manchester, it was different. Where we lived, people had seen us so often that it wasn't special anymore. We could walk out the door there without a single photo being taken. In Naples, that is impossible.
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"At a certain point, football is no longer the priority. You have achieved everything, done everything. Why would you then turn your children's lives upside down?"
De Bruyne left City after 10 years before a trying first campaign with Napoli, where he didn't see eye to eye with manager Antonio Conte. De Bruyne admitted he was glad to see the back of the legendary Italian manager, who left by mutual consent in the summer, with Massimiliano Allegri now at the helm.
Kevin De Bruyne
De Bruyne has had a tough time in Naples(Image: Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
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Speaking ahead of the World Cup, De Bruyne said: "Obviously it was difficult for me because Conte has a very different vision of football to mine. In truth, I never had the opportunity to play in my preferred position.
"In any case, I always tried to give my all for the team. We played very defensively. If you try to win every game by a one-goal margin with a 4-5-1 formation, you play a certain type of football."
De Bruyne has been playing regularly for Napoli, who sit a disappointing 10th in the Serie A table.