Italian media reported that Kevin De Bruyne has completed an agreement with Napoli to join them on a three-year contract.
Manchester City announced De Bruyne’s departure after a historic career spanning nearly ten years, with the player expressing his disappointment at the way the deal was finalized and hinting that he might not participate in the Club World Cup with Pep Guardiola’s squad.
Napoli, the Italian champions, opened negotiations with De Bruyne weeks ago, and it appears the two parties have finally reached an agreement on the deal.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, De Bruyne will earn €6 million per year after tax in his first two years at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, and in the third year, his salary will be reduced to just €5 million.
Antonio Conte played a major role in convincing De Bruyne to make the move. The Belgian also consulted with a number of his international teammates, most notably Romelu Lukaku, who is shining with the southern Italian club, and former Napoli legend Dries Mertens.
It’s worth noting that the American club Chicago Fire tried to sign De Bruyne and made him a substantial offer when he announced his departure from City, but the player’s priority was always to continue in Europe and participate in major tournaments such as the Champions League.
