Kevin de Bruyne has completed his transfer to Napoli, after the Belgian midfielder left Manchester City at the end of the Premier League season,
De Bruyne will work alongside Antonio Conte, the head coach of the Italian champions and a former manager of Chelsea and Tottenham.
De Bruyne turned down an offer from Major League Soccer team Chicago Fire to move to Italy on a free transfer, which allows him to participate in the Champions League the next season.
Napoli used a computer-generated image of De Bruyne sitting on a throne with a crown with the caption, “King Kev is here” for their announcement of the 33-year-old.
He joined Manchester City from Wolfsburg in 2015 and went on to stay for ten years, winning 19 major titles.
In addition to helping City win six Premier League titles, five League Cups, and two FA Cups, De Bruyne was instrumental in the team’s 2023 Champions League victory, which made Pep Guardiola’s squad just the second English team to complete the treble.
After De Bruyne’s final home league game against Bournemouth in May, he said goodbye with passion at Etihad Stadium. His departure from City was revealed before the season’s completion.
City signed Lyon’s Rayan Cherki and AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders as midfielders in a swift move to cover De Bruyne’s creative void.
They could face De Bruyne in the Champions League next season, with the Belgium international continuing his career at the top level.
He joins up with former Premier League midfielders Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour in a Napoli side who narrowly prevailed in a thrilling Serie A title race last season.