Napoli are on the verge of landing Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer, marking a major coup for the Serie A giants who have also secured the continued services of head coach Antonio Conte.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna revealed that the Belgian star is “pretty close” to linking up with fellow Premier League imports Romelu Lukaku, Scott McTominay, and Billy Gilmour in Italy.
De Bruyne, now 33, recently brought an end to a decade-long stint at Manchester City, where he amassed six Premier League titles and was instrumental in their 2023 Champions League triumph.
He is set to play under Conte, who has put to rest swirling rumours about his departure by confirming he will remain at the helm to lead Napoli’s title defence.
The club and Conte made their decision public after weeks of uncertainty, during which the manager was heavily linked with a return to Juventus, a club where he made his name both as a player and a manager, winning three Serie A titles during his time in charge.
“At the end of every season coach and club always get together to assess the past season, to see if there is a shared vision and if there is still desire to continue towards certain goals,” Conte told Sky Sport.
“We have a contract and seeing as we have a shared vision, we don’t have anything else to add. We’re moving forward because we’re serious people.”
Conte, under contract until 2027, has reinvigorated Napoli following a lacklustre 2023 campaign in which they slumped to 10th after winning the league the previous year.
Since his arrival, he has revitalised the squad, particularly Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay, the latter adapting swiftly and seamlessly to life in Naples following his move from Manchester United.