Kevin De Bruyne’s tenure at Napoli could conclude as early as January, with the club weighing a potential early separation before his contract expires at the end of the season.
While the midfielder has contributed nine goals in 36 appearances since joining in May 2025, his time in Italy has been marked by injury and personal challenges, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The player’s physical condition remains a question following a match against Turkey, where he was seen approaching the bench to take a painkiller immediately after scoring a goal to tie the game.
The PSV Eindhoven interest has added momentum to exit rumors. The Dutch club has inquired about whether Napoli will exercise a renewal option for next June, a move interpreted as a potential precursor to immediate negotiations. Regarding his future, De Bruyne said: “Ho ricevuto vari messaggi, vediamo cosa succede”.
Belgium head coach Mark Van Bommel further fueled speculation, noting: “Credo che il calcio olandese gli si addica molto”. Van Bommel added, however, that the player “Deve prendere la decisione da solo”, as reported by DAZN.
In an interview with the magazine NINA, De Bruyne’s wife, Michèle Lacroix, expressed a desire to return to the Belgian Limburg region, which is less than an hour from Eindhoven.
She said that the family finds it difficult to navigate Naples due to the city’s intensity, stating: “Kevin conduce una vita molto isolata a Napoli.” “Non è piacevole per lui.” “Inoltre, non possiamo fare nulla insieme come famiglia in città”.
Napoli is already assessing its midfield options for January. The club has monitored Sven Mijnans, a 27-year-old midfielder currently at PSV, as a potential addition. Napoli’s management is looking to avoid a prolonged uncertainty, with Sandro Sabatini suggesting on Radio Marte that an exit could materialize if an adequate financial agreement is reached, according to Radio Marte.
Sabatini said that De Bruyne’s response to journalists after the Belgium match was interlocutory and suggested that if Aurelio De Laurentiis receives an adequate compensation, the player might not stay until the end of the season, provided the funds are reinvested into a loan with an option to buy for another midfielder.
Sabatini also observed that while fans in Naples show more affection than in cities like Milan or Turin, the crowd might be overwhelming for a Belgian player who spent a decade in Manchester, noting that a South American from Buenos Aires who played for River Plate or Boca might feel more at ease.
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