The transfer to Napoli is now just waiting for the announcement. Kevin De Bruyne (34, Manchester City) finally set foot in Italy, receiving a warm welcome.

Italy's Corriere della Sera reported on the 12th (Korean time) that "De Bruyne has undergone a medical test for his transfer to Napoli. Today is De Bruyne's day. Napoli welcomes a champion, one of the very important signings in club history."

The media noted that "De Bruyne, who is from Belgium, arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport this morning. He then moved to Villa Stuart for a medical test. He will receive a total of 26 million euros (about 40.7 billion won) over three seasons, with a two-year contract and an option for a one-year extension."

The De Bruyne family is already prepared to live in Naples. Corriere della Sera stated, "De Bruyne's wife, Michele Lacroix, has already found a house in Posillipo. The couple plans to move there with their three children. They got married in Sorrento, Italy, in 2017," and added, "The transfer market in Napoli does not stop. The next target is AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah."

When De Bruyne arrived on a private jet, Napoli fans were literally ecstatic. Corriere dello Sport reported that "As he left the airport, De Bruyne was caught in a crowd," as numerous fans flocked around.

Even the police had to be dispatched. The media explained, "At Villa Stuart, police were deployed to calm the excitement of many Napoli fans waiting for De Bruyne. Hundreds of fans were waiting for De Bruyne's arrival," and noted, "De Bruyne was touched by the warm welcome."

Now, only the official announcement remains between De Bruyne and Napoli. Corriere dello Sport predicted that "De Bruyne will help expand the range of solutions that coach Antonio Conte can utilize," and that De Bruyne, Scott McTominay, and Stanislav Lobotka would form Napoli’s midfield next season.

Napoli seems to be a good choice for De Bruyne, who places family life as a top priority. The media added, "De Bruyne and his wife know the city of Napoli well. Furthermore, he is set to meet friends like Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku, who are his Belgium national team teammates. Additionally, there are various people behind the scenes."

De Bruyne is regarded as one of the legends in Premier League history, beyond Manchester City. Since joining Manchester City in 2015, he has recorded six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League title, two FA Cup titles, and five EFL Cup titles. His overall record stands at 422 matches, 108 goals, and 177 assists.

However, De Bruyne's decade with Manchester City will come to an end this summer. He played his farewell match for Manchester City against Fulham on the 26th of last month. De Bruyne came on as a substitute in the 40th minute of the second half and bid farewell to the fans. He had stated that he would not participate in the Club World Cup held in June, so that match was his last.

The sudden farewell was a decision made by Manchester City. De Bruyne confessed, "I haven't received any offers all year, and it was Manchester City that made the decision. I was certainly a bit surprised, but I have to accept it. Honestly, I still think I can play at the top level like now."

De Bruyne's next destination has attracted the interest of many fans. It is known that Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, the Saudi Professional League, and even the top European leagues have shown interest in him. De Bruyne mentioned that he would consider options with his family and kept the possibility of remaining in the Premier League open, but he is ultimately expected to wear the Napoli uniform.

Napoli, along with De Bruyne, aims to challenge for the Serie A title for the second consecutive year under coach Conte. Napoli climbed to the top of Italy under newly appointed coach Conte for the 2024-2025 season. They finished 10th in the previous season but shocked everyone by reclaiming the Scudetto two years after their 2022-2023 season, where Kim Min-jae performed well.

Napoli is actively working to challenge for the championship next season as well. Especially since they will have to contend with the UEFA Champions League this season, bolstering their squad is essential.

To start, Napoli managed to retain coach Conte, who had been at risk of parting ways, even involving Aurelio De Laurentiis, the president. They have also been working quietly for months to bring De Bruyne on board. In addition, they are targeting Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Miguel Gutierrez (Girona), Edon Zegrbo, and Jonathan David (both from LOSC Lille).

[Photo] Calcio Napoli 24, Backpost UK, Sky Sports, Manchester City, 365 Scores Social Media.

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