Kevin De Bruyne and Napoli Reportedly Set for Split After One Season

Kevin De Bruyne and Napoli are reportedly ready to part ways after just one year, with intermediaries hired to find the midfielder a new club in Turkiye or Saudi Arabia.

According to L’Equipe, Galatasaray had already shown interest in the Belgian midfielder — and have reportedly gone a step further since, preparing an offer of their own.

Why Kevin De Bruyne And Napoli Look Set To Split After One Season

De Bruyne joined Napoli on a free transfer on 1 July 2025 after his Manchester City contract expired.

He chose Naples partly as a lifestyle decision, but his first season turned into a frustrating one: a serious injury kept him out for months, and on his return he was open about his irritation with Antonio Conte’s defensive approach.

De Bruyne has previously said Conte’s football was “very different” to his own, built around a cautious 5-4-1 that left him wanting more from matches.

Massimiliano Allegri has since replaced Conte, and his tactical outlook is regarded as, if anything, even more defence-first — a change that hasn’t obviously improved De Bruyne’s outlook at the club.

De Bruyne turned 35 last month and is nearing the end of his career.

L’Equipe reports that intermediaries have already been hired to find him a new destination, with clubs in Turkiye and the Saudi Pro League among the interested parties.

He’s still due to sit down with Allegri after this summer’s World Cup to discuss his future — the fact that his camp is already shopping him around before that conversation happens suggests De Bruyne isn’t expecting it to change much.

Galatasaray’s Interest In Kevin De Bruyne: How Serious Is It?

Galatasaray are the club most consistently linked with De Bruyne, and reports since the initial story suggest their interest has firmed up.

Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb has reported that Galatasaray are preparing to offer De Bruyne a two-year contract, with the Istanbul club willing to make a significant financial commitment to get the deal done.

The interest is also tied to Galatasaray’s pursuit of AC Milan winger Rafael Leão.

With only one senior registration slot available and Milan yet to lower their asking price for Leão, Galatasaray are said to be considering De Bruyne as an alternative use of that spot.

Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş have also been mentioned as Süper Lig clubs with a history of signing established European stars, though neither has been linked as concretely as Galatasaray.

Kevin De Bruyne’s Napoli Contract And The Likely Exit Route

De Bruyne’s contract runs to June 2027, with Napoli holding an option to extend it a further year — meaning any club would need to negotiate directly with Napoli rather than wait for him to run down his deal.

Because he arrived as a free agent, Napoli are unlikely to demand a significant transfer fee; the priority is understood to be removing his wages from the books rather than recouping a fee.

His current market valuation sits at around €8 million, and Napoli could reportedly even agree to terminate the contract by mutual consent if it solves the wage question.

De Bruyne’s Season So Far And What Comes Next

De Bruyne managed five goals and two assists in 18 Serie A appearances last season, his debut year at Napoli (five goals and four assists across all competitions) — solid contributions, but not enough to settle the unease around his role under Napoli’s changing coaching setup.

He remained a key figure for Belgium at the 2026 World Cup, scoring once in five appearances.

It’s a modest return by the standards of a player with 288 Premier League appearances (72 goals, 121 assists) and a Champions League title from his Manchester City days.

Whether De Bruyne’s next move happens this window or next depends on how Napoli, Galatasaray and any Saudi suitors align on wages and timing — but with intermediaries already working the phones, a departure before his contract runs out in 2027 looks increasingly likely.