Kevin De Bruyne will return to coaching with Napoli subsequent week after his prolonged break following the 2026 World Cup, however studies in Italy recommend that an icy reception awaits the Belgian famous person because of the feedback he made about former head coach Antonio Conte just a few weeks in the past.
Why De Bruyne remains to be a divisive determine at Napoli
De Bruyne has spent the final yr in Naples having joined on a free switch after the expiry of his contract with Manchester Metropolis. His new chapter in Italy started with 4 objectives from his first eight Serie A appearances, however he would then go on to undergo a serious hamstring damage that stored him out of motion for round 5 months.
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Ultimately, De Bruyne made 21 appearances throughout all competitions in 2025-26, ending with 5 objectives and 4 assists to his identify as Napoli completed second in Serie A behind Scudetto and Coppa Italia double winners Inter.
Conte, who had led Napoli to the 2024-25 Serie A title, determined to go away Napoli on the finish of the 2025-26 marketing campaign, and it’s honest to say that De Bruyne was happy to see him go.
PISA, ITALY – MAY 17: Antonio Conte supervisor of SSC Napoli celebrates the victory after throughout the Serie A match between Pisa SC and SSC Napoli at Enviornment Garibaldi on Could 17, 2026 in Pisa, Italy. (Photograph by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Photographs)
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“Clearly it was tough for me as a result of Conte has a really totally different imaginative and prescient of soccer to mine. In fact, I by no means had the chance to play in my most popular place,” De Bruyne mentioned in an interview on the finish of Could.
When requested if he was happy to see Conte go away Napoli, De Bruyne added: “For me, sure. So far as I’m involved, he was not obliged to remain. There have been guarantees made final summer time on the best way that we might be enjoying, however on the finish of the day not a lot of it occurred.”
These feedback have put De Bruyne’s future with Napoli beneath doubt. Regardless of latest assurances from sporting director Giovanni Manna that De Bruyne stays beneath contract and that he’s nonetheless ‘a part of the venture’, there’s nonetheless an general feeling that De Bruyne confirmed a degree of disrespect to his former boss and his present employers together with his explosive interview in Could.
COMO, ITALY – MAY 02: Kevin De Bruyne of SSC Napoli seems on throughout the Serie A match between Como 1907 and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on Could 02, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photograph by Marco Luzzani/Getty Photographs)
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“I didn’t respect a few of his phrases, however there is no downside,” mentioned Manna in a latest interview. “Kevin would not should resolve if he is staying or leaving, he’s a part of the venture and can put himself on the disposal of the coach, similar to all the opposite gamers.”
Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo additionally seems to have sided with Manna. “I align myself with what the director mentioned, within the sense that the coach ought to at all times be the one to resolve how a group performs, we will not be depending on one participant,” the Azzurri right-back mentioned in a latest press convention (through La Gazzetta dello Sport).
New Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri, in the meantime, has averted giving any concrete statements on De Bruyne’s future both method.
NAPLES, ITALY – APRIL 06: Kevin De Bruyne of SSC Napoli in motion throughout the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AC Milan at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 06, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photograph by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Photographs)
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La Gazzetta dello Sport means that De Bruyne will likely be greeted by a frosty viewers when he does return to Napoli, and that the connection between the membership and the participant by no means actually clicked.
Whether or not De Bruyne stays on with Napoli or decides to name it quits after one season stays to be seen.