Napoli is on the verge of acquiring a super player.

On Nov. 11 (Korea time), Italy's "transfer market expert" Gianluca Di Marzio reported, "Kevin De Bruyne's move to Napoli has progressed further. We are now in the final stages of negotiations. There are no financial or footballing issues. Only the decision from De Bruyne's family remains."

Napoli is preparing for a major acquisition that combines skill and experience as it aims for a return to the UEFA Champions League next season. In particular, with the appointment of manager Antonio Conte, the club is accelerating its squad overhaul. In De Bruyne's case, he has already formalized his departure from Manchester City after the season and, hoping to remain in Europe, aligns with Napoli's ambitions as a large acquisition without a transfer fee. Napoli is reported to have proposed terms including a two-year contract and a signing bonus.

Moreover, De Bruyne, one of Napoli's top targets, has also moved closer to Napoli. There are indications that De Bruyne is positively considering Napoli. His wife, Michele Lacroix, was recently spotted exploring local real estates in Naples, interpreted as a signal that negotiations have entered a concrete stage. Napoli is also a city the couple often visited in the past due to their connection with Dries Mertens.

De Bruyne recently announced his farewell to Manchester City. He stated on social media last month, "This will be the last few months of my time at Manchester City. Writing this is not easy, but it’s a situation that a player has to face someday. Manchester will forever be a name remembered by my family," announcing his intent to leave the team as soon as his contract expires.

Additionally, De Bruyne expressed, "Like it or not, the time for parting has come. Manchester will always remain in our family's hearts, not just in terms of our passports" and thanked, saying, "This place will always be our home. I cannot express in words my gratitude to this city, the club staff, teammates, friends, and family for sharing the journey of the past decade."

Born in 1991, De Bruyne is one of the legends that will be remembered in Premier League history. After donning the Manchester City jersey in 2015, he won the Premier League six times, the UEFA Champions League (UCL) once, the FA Cup twice, and the EFL Cup five times under manager Pep Guardiola. He was part of the 'treble' during the 2022-2023 season.

Manager Guardiola has also shown his affection for De Bruyne until the end. On the day the farewell was announced, he remarked, "It's a sad day," and paid tribute to De Bruyne as the greatest player he has seen in the Premier League.

The sudden parting was Manchester City's decision. De Bruyne confessed, "I haven’t received any offers all year, and Manchester City made the decision. I was clearly a bit surprised, but I have to accept it. Honestly, I still believe I can play at the highest level like I am now."

He has not ruled out the possibility of remaining in the Premier League. When asked if his career has ended in England, De Bruyne responded, "I don’t know. The decision to leave Manchester City was made not long ago. I haven’t seen my family since then. I will talk to them and see which team wants me," adding, "There are always challenges. I don’t know what will happen next season."

De Bruyne's choice was not to remain in the U.S. or England. Di Marzio noted, "Napoli and De Bruyne have found common ground on salary. Now only the decision from the player and his family remains." He added, "If the family's final decision is made, he will head to Napoli. He will likely be Napoli's first signing."

Napoli's plans to strengthen its lineup are not limited to one star. Director General Giovanni Manna personally traveled to Manchester to contact De Bruyne's side, and potential attacking reinforcements have been discussed, including Darwin Núñez of Liverpool, Jonathan David, whose contract with Lille is expiring, and Sama Omorodion of Porto.

Lee Kang-in has appeared on the list as a creative second-line resource. The media assessed, "While there were fluctuations this season, he is still a creative and promising resource." Lee's position at PSG has significantly diminished. This season he has scored 6 goals and provided 6 assists, showing decent early performance, but since the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, he has remained on the bench for four consecutive matches and was excluded from the roster for both legs of the semifinals. It has been speculated that he is no longer part of head coach Luis Enrique's plans.

Moreover, Lee Kang-in deleted the "PSG" text from his Instagram account and has not posted club-related material for about two months, increasing speculation about his transfer possibility. While it cannot be conclusively determined due to the removal of other introductory items like "South Korea," it is hard to deny the signs of change.

In such circumstances, Lee Kang-in faced neglect once again. PSG thrashed Montpellier 4-1 in the 33rd round away match of the 2024-2025 French Ligue 1 at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier, France. Having already secured the league title, PSG recorded 81 points, achieving a league win after four matches and breaking a losing streak.

Manager Luis Enrique utilized his rotation cards ahead of the UEFA Champions League. PSG deployed a 3-4-3 formation with Hamus, Barcola, and Mbaye in the attack, and Lee was placed in an ambiguous position between the left wing-back and midfielder.

Lee Kang-in played full-time in the league for the first time in four months. He was active throughout the match, completing 93% of 52 passes accurately, recording one shot, one chance created, two successful long passes, and three fouls drawn. However, his actual impact on the match was rated as minimal.

The football statistics site 'Footmob' rated Lee Kang-in the lowest on the team with a score of 6.6. Culture PSG was even harsher, stating, "He looked like a player who didn’t want to be there," giving Lee a score of 4.

"The positioning was vague. In the 3-4-3 system, Lee played like a left fullback, which did not suit him at all. His influence was almost nonexistent, and creative play disappeared. His attempts at dribbling and slow tempo disrupted the flow. Had there not been a lack of alternative resources, he would have been substituted," was a harsh critique.

Ultimately, by using Lee Kang-in as a wing-back, in various ways

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