Foot Africa
·19 Juli 2025
Kevin De Bruyne Explains Shock Move to Napoli: "I Needed a New Challenge"

In partnership with
Yahoo sportsFoot Africa
·19 Juli 2025
Interview
Belgian star reveals why he left Man City for Serie A and what excites him most
Kevin De Bruyne Explains Shock Move to Napoli: "I Needed a New Challenge"
Belgium international Kevin De Bruyne's finally opened up about his surprise transfer to Napoli calling it the "best option" after his contract with Man City expired this summer.
In comments published by Calciomercato, De Bruyne described Napoli as exciting new chapter, stating:
"Napoli's great place from competitive point of view. It’s very different from England but the atmosphere's incredible and the project really caught my eye"
He added:
"I wanted to stay at high level. The sporting director showed me their vision and it made perfect sense"
The 33 year old playmaker emphasized that his goal with Napoli's to compete for trophies both domestically and in Europe.
"We aim to succeed in Serie A & the Champions league. I’m adapting now but I believe I’ll be ready when the season kicks off"
Despite joining the Serie A giants De Bruyne was quick to reaffirm his loyalty to Man City:
"My heart'll always be with City but I needed fresh challenge. Napoli offered chance to stay at the top level"
De Bruyne revealed he's just begun working under Antonio Conte whom he described as "tactical genius":
"I know him from his time at Chelsea & Spurs. He used back 5 then but now things are different. I’ll learn a lot from him"
When asked about training in Napoli’s iconic No10 shirt, he said:
"It surprised me. I know it was retired for Maradona. It was beautiful gesture but playing for team like Napoli comes with its own pressure"
The Belgian revealed he spoke with Romelu Lukaku & Dries Mertens before making the move.
"Lukaku and I go way back. We’ve known each other since we were 13. He helped with some translation early on but the final decision was mine"
De Bruyne admitted he's still learning Italian but has already picked up a few words.
"My wife and I will start lessons soon. I believe learning the local language's important. Once I’m ready, I’ll do interviews in Italian just give me time"
Despite his superstar status, De Bruyne made it clear he's not expecting Napoli to revolve around him:
“I’m here to help the team grow. I’ll give 100% but everyone needs to contribute. The Champions league's one of the best tournaments in the world I can't wait to play in it again”