Kevin De Bruyne (34), a 'legend' parting ways with Manchester City (Man City), will eventually leave the English stage. His new destination is likely to be Napoli, the champion of Italy's Serie A.
On the 28th (Korean time), the British 'Talk Sport' reported that West Ham United and Aston Villa persuaded De Bruyne to stay in the Premier League, but he rejected their proposals.
De Bruyne, who transferred from Wolfsburg to Man City in 2015, has lifted numerous major trophies on the Premier League stage over the past 10 years. However, he seems to have had no interest in transferring to other Premier League clubs besides Man City.
Additionally, De Bruyne received offers from Chicago Fire, a Major League Soccer (MLS) club, the new team San Diego FC, and clubs in Saudi Arabia, but he declined them all. He is confident that he can still prove his competitiveness in the European stage.
De Bruyne's next destination is expected to be Napoli, which has secured the championship this season. Aurelio De Laurentiis, the president of Napoli, revealed through Italy's 'Gazzetta dello Sport' that "I know De Bruyne has already purchased a house near Napoli."
De Laurentiis also noted, "This morning, his wife had a video call with their 9-year-old son," adding, "We cannot confirm anything yet as he hasn't signed the contract, but we are very serious. Until it's clear on paper, we cannot say it's definite."
De Bruyne's contract with Man City expires on June 30. Therefore, he will not participate with Man City in the FIFA Club World Cup held in the U.S. on June 15. Ultimately, De Bruyne's transfer to Napoli is expected to be officially announced within this month.
According to local reports, Napoli is said to have offered De Bruyne a 2-year contract with a 1-year extension option. The salary is approximately 4.6 million pounds (about 8.5 billion won) and includes a signing bonus of 8 million pounds (about 14.8 billion won) and performance bonuses.
One of the reasons De Bruyne chose Italy is that the couple had their wedding in Napoli. Additionally, the fact that Napoli will compete in the UEFA Champions League next season was also an attractive factor.
Meanwhile, there is also a possibility that De Bruyne will play alongside Lee Kang-in at Napoli. Italy's 'Calcio Mercato' reported, "There will be no re-signing with Lee Kang-in and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Napoli has started contact with Lee Kang-in's side. Napoli plans to fill one of the two non-European Union (EU) player spots with Lee Kang-in."
Spain's 'Relevo' reporter Matteo Moretto also said, "Napoli is showing renewed interest in Lee Kang-in," adding, "Napoli attempted to use Lee Kang-in as a trade card with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia last winter. However, it fell through due to PSG's rejection."
"This summer's situation is different. PSG is keeping the door open for Lee Kang-in's transfer, and the re-signing negotiations have hit a deadlock," he emphasized. "Napoli is watching this situation closely."
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