Kevin De Bruyne is moving closer to a permanent transfer to Italian champions Napoli, according to their outspoken chairman.
Comments
Sport
Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is pressing ahead with a free transfer to Italian champions Napoli, with their chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis revealing that the departing Manchester City star has already bought a house in Naples.
De Bruyne said farewell to City, with tributes paid at the Etihad after the win over Bournemouth on Tuesday before a late substitute appearance at Fulham as the Blues secured a Champions League place on the final day. He took in the adulation of the away support at Craven Cottage in what was almost certainly his final appearance for the club after a glorious decade of service.
While De Bruyne remains contracted to City until the end of June, he said last week he "probably" won't play at the Club World Cup, which begins on June 13, due to the risk of picking up an injury while his future remains uncertain. Napoli have since emerged as the favourites to sign him, with De Laurentiis confirming that he expects De Bruyne to sign with the newly-crowned Serie A champions soon.
Napoli wrapped up their fourth Scudetto at the weekend, led by De Bruyne's international teammate Romelu Lukaku and former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay. De Bruyne will reportedly sign a two-year contract with the club, worth up to £21m including an £8m signing bonus, according to Gazzetta Dello Sport.
And De Laurentiis spoke to Italian media from the Napoli title parade on Monday, revealing that he is in contact with De Bruyne and claiming that the 33-year-old has already bought a villa in the region. He married his wife Michele in Naples in 2017.
"Will he get to lift this cup too? Probably yes,' De Laurentiis told Italian broadcaster RAI. "I know that he’s sorted a few things already and I believe he’s already bought a beautiful villa.
"This morning I was on a video call with him, his wife and his nine-year-old son and it was a beautiful sight."
However ,De Laurentiis insisted that the deal is not sorted yet, amid other reports that De Bruyne is due in Naples this week to finalise his new contract. "Not yet," the chairman said. "Until it’s in black and white, there will be no confirmation."
With Napoli and City both in the Champions League next season, De Bruyne could be set for an early reunion with the Blues in the League Phase. City will be in Pot One of the draw, while Napoli are projected to be in Pot 3.
--
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we're dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get the club's breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you'd rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.