Having won six Premier League titles, Kevin De Bruyne left Manchester City in the summer of 2025. He joined Napoli, but less than two seasons into his new life in Italy, it appears that he could soon be on the move again.
The Belgian was extremely emotional when saying goodbye to the Etihad club he joined in 2015, tearfully announcing how his family would have preferred to stay in Manchester: “It’s really hard. My kids don’t want to go. It’s been really stressful days, and I’m not making decisions any more based on myself. It’s easy to go to another team and play football. But it’s been a tough time for us as a family.”
It now seems as though the De Bruynes have struggled to adapt to the city of Naples, with his wife, Michelle, claiming they cannot wait to leave.
De Bruyne Linked With English Club Amid Napoli Concerns
REUTERS/Matteo Ciambelli
De Bruyne proved himself to be one of the greatest Premier League players of all time during his decade with Man City, and also lifted the Champions League title in the famous treble-winning season of 2022/23. Now 35, the midfielder has struggled with injuries over the past few seasons, which likely played a part in his exit from the English club.
At Napoli, he's been fit enough to play in all 15 games so far this term, scoring four times and picking up one assist. His debut season, though, was heavily impacted by a hamstring injury, limiting him to just 18 Serie A outings as his new side finished second.
Despite being healthier, that doesn't mean all is going well of late. After a recent 4-1 Champions League loss to Porto, reports suggest De Bruyne was in the middle of a dressing room bust-up. The Napoli squad is said to have become increasingly fractured in recent weeks.
Amid all that, it's interesting that De Bruyne has since been linked with a shock return to England, with Everton touted as a potential destination. However, reports suggest his high wages could be an issue for the Toffees.
Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca
The De Bruynes Are Desperate to Leave Italy
REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Everton's hopes of an ambitious transfer are not helped by comments his wife made to the press. While talking about their struggles in Naples, his spouse Michelle made it clear that her hope was to return to Belgium as soon as possible.
She told Belgian magazine NINA (via The Sun) that they often speak about returning home. 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.”
She then tore into their life in Italy, adding:
“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.’
"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 put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Napoli when he joined last year. As such, he can leave for free in the summer if he opts not to sign a new contract.