West Ham United reportedly held talks over a sensational move for Manchester City legend Kevin de Bruyne this summer, as he comes to the end of his time at the Etihad Stadium - though their efforts were in vain as De Bruyne looks set to move to Napoli instead after nearing an agreement with the Scudetto winners.
The Belgian 'genius', as he was called by Jamie Redknapp, will depart City having racked up 422 appearances for the Citizens, scoring 108 goals and recording an exceptional 177 assists as he won six Premier League titles, two FA Cup winners' medals, five League Cups and the Champions League in his time in northern England. But reports have suggested that West Ham looked to continue his Premier League story in a late smash-and-grab before falling short.
Report: West Ham 'Held Talks' to Sign Kevin de Bruyne This Summer
The midfield maestro was initially open to moving to London
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The report by TBR Football states that West Ham were 'one of the clubs' to talk to De Bruyne about staying in England this summer, after his announcement that he would leave City earlier in April, ending his £400,000-per-week contract.
Kevin de Bruyne's Premier League statistics - Man City squad ranking
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Key Passes Per Game
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De Bruyne played his last game for City over the weekend, featuring in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the capital, and that appears to be his final game in the Premier League with Napoli seemingly closing in on tempting him with a move to the Serie A champions.
But that could have been extremely different, with the West Ham board making a 'late play' in enquiring about the Belgian superstar. The playmaker was apparently open to a stay in England initially this summer, much to the pain of City fans - and West Ham make a shock effort to land the all-time Premier League great, with Graham Potter looking to oversee a significant overhaul in the coming months to suit his tactical setup.
The Hammers gaffer was open to the prospect of landing De Bruyne on a free transfer, even though it would have cost the club a lot in terms of wages, especially with the likes of Danny Ings, Aaron Cresswell and Lukasz Fabianski departing at the expiration of their contracts and heroic years of service.
But the club knew it was an unlikely scenario, even if De Bruyne did have a slither of interest in joining due to the prospect of living in London appealing greatly to his family.
Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 27-05-25.
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