Kevin De Bruyne, who recently joined Serie A champions Napoli on a free transfer after his Manchester City contract expired, has reportedly urged Napoli manager Antonio Conte to sign his former City teammate Jack Grealish, per The Mirror. De Bruyne, 33, gave a “glowing reference” for the 29-year-old winger, who has been deemed surplus to requirements at City after starting only seven Premier League matches in the 2024/25 season and being excluded from their FIFA Club World Cup squad, per TEAMtalk. Grealish, signed for £100 million from Aston Villa in 2021, faces a potential £45 million transfer to Napoli, a significant financial loss for City, though his £300,000-per-week wages pose a challenge, with City possibly covering part of the cost, per Daily Mail.
De Bruyne, who praised Grealish’s creativity in past comments, sees him as a key addition to Napoli’s title-defending squad, which includes former Premier League stars like Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku, per GOAL. Napoli are also considering Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho but can only afford one, per The Irish Sun. Grealish’s desire to revive his England career for the 2026 World Cup under Thomas Tuchel makes the Champions League football offered by Napoli appealing, per GB News. X posts, like @TheSunFootball, highlight De Bruyne’s push as a potential blow to United’s plans for Garnacho, per.
