logo
De Bruyne's Italian job: Man City star signs for Napoli

De Bruyne's Italian job: Man City star signs for Napoli

Two-time Premier League player of the season Kevin De Bruyne has signed as a free agent with Serie A champions Napoli.
"KING KEV IS HERE," Napoli declared in a series of posts on X on Thursday.
The 33-year-old De Bruyne's contract at Manchester City has expired but Napoli did not announce the length of his new contract.
Around 150 fans welcomed De Bruyne on his arrival at a clinic in Rome for his medical. They chanted his name before also singing about Napoli being champions after the player had gone into the facility.
At the Italian giants, De Bruyne will reunite with Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku and follow in the footsteps of former Napoli great Dries Mertens, an ex-Belgium international.
In Napoli's midfield, De Bruyne can team up with Serie A player of the year Scott McTominay, who made a highly successful move from City's neighbours and rivals, Manchester United.
Known as one of soccer's most complete midfielders, De Bruyne was named the best player in the Premier League for the 2019-2020 and 2021-22 seasons and is generally considered one of the finest players of the EPL era.
In 10 seasons at City, he helped City to six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League trophy.
The addition of De Bruyne may have been one of the reasons that convinced Napoli coach Antonio Conte to stay on for another season after he had considered rejoining Juventus.
Two-time Premier League player of the season Kevin De Bruyne has signed as a free agent with Serie A champions Napoli.
"KING KEV IS HERE," Napoli declared in a series of posts on X on Thursday.
The 33-year-old De Bruyne's contract at Manchester City has expired but Napoli did not announce the length of his new contract.
Around 150 fans welcomed De Bruyne on his arrival at a clinic in Rome for his medical. They chanted his name before also singing about Napoli being champions after the player had gone into the facility.
At the Italian giants, De Bruyne will reunite with Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku and follow in the footsteps of former Napoli great Dries Mertens, an ex-Belgium international.
In Napoli's midfield, De Bruyne can team up with Serie A player of the year Scott McTominay, who made a highly successful move from City's neighbours and rivals, Manchester United.
Known as one of soccer's most complete midfielders, De Bruyne was named the best player in the Premier League for the 2019-2020 and 2021-22 seasons and is generally considered one of the finest players of the EPL era.
In 10 seasons at City, he helped City to six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League trophy.
The addition of De Bruyne may have been one of the reasons that convinced Napoli coach Antonio Conte to stay on for another season after he had considered rejoining Juventus.
Two-time Premier League player of the season Kevin De Bruyne has signed as a free agent with Serie A champions Napoli.
"KING KEV IS HERE," Napoli declared in a series of posts on X on Thursday.
The 33-year-old De Bruyne's contract at Manchester City has expired but Napoli did not announce the length of his new contract.
Around 150 fans welcomed De Bruyne on his arrival at a clinic in Rome for his medical. They chanted his name before also singing about Napoli being champions after the player had gone into the facility.
At the Italian giants, De Bruyne will reunite with Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku and follow in the footsteps of former Napoli great Dries Mertens, an ex-Belgium international.
In Napoli's midfield, De Bruyne can team up with Serie A player of the year Scott McTominay, who made a highly successful move from City's neighbours and rivals, Manchester United.
Known as one of soccer's most complete midfielders, De Bruyne was named the best player in the Premier League for the 2019-2020 and 2021-22 seasons and is generally considered one of the finest players of the EPL era.
In 10 seasons at City, he helped City to six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League trophy.
The addition of De Bruyne may have been one of the reasons that convinced Napoli coach Antonio Conte to stay on for another season after he had considered rejoining Juventus.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Aussie rugby coach who put the roar back into Tigers
Aussie rugby coach who put the roar back into Tigers

Perth Now

timean hour ago

  • Perth Now

Aussie rugby coach who put the roar back into Tigers

Michael Cheika's legacy will have a lasting impact on the club, no matter what the result in his final game as head coach against Bath in the Premiership final. That's the view of England lock Ollie Chessum, who has hailed the former Wallabies coach for his impact at the Midlands club. It is set to be a summer of change at Welford Road, with former Leicester player Geoff Parling, the ex-Wallabies assistant, to take charge after Cheika departs at the end of his one-year contract. Just a couple of seasons on from their last Premiership final triumph, the Tigers finished eighth in a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. The arrival of Cheika - who took the Wallabies to the 2015 World Cup final and then guided Argentina into the last four two years ago - saw Leicester's fortunes transformed. On the back of a new-found mental resilience, Cheika's men were driven on to second place in the table behind Bath. Chessum, who fought his way back to fitness following a knee injury suffered in an England training camp in October, feels 58-year-old Cheika deserves plenty of plaudits for helping turn the club around. "We were in a real good spot a few years ago as a group, and we probably lost our way a little bit and that is how you find yourself down in eighth and out of the play-offs," said Chessum. "There is no denying that something needed to change in quite a few aspects of our game. "Cheiks will say we have probably not changed too much technically, but it is just around that mental side and the emotional side of the game is what has really changed everything this year and has put us in this spot." Chessum, 24, added: "He just finds a way to galvanise the group, get them to find a real meaning in what they are doing and use that to to drive them on. Our mental approach for the team has changed massively towards games. "He will say that goes a huge way towards winning, it is just believing you can do it and sort of shocking yourself really with what you are able to do as an individual. "The way he has changed how the team approaches the game mentally has been a huge part of what he will leave as a legacy." Cheika has named an unchanged side from the semi-final win over Sale for Saturday's final at the Allianz Stadium, which will see several Leicester players make their last appearance in a Tigers shirt. Club stalwarts Dan Cole and Ben Youngs will retire while captain Julian Montoya, South Africa fly-half Handre Pollard, James Cronin and Matt Rogerson are all set to depart. Leicester lost home and away to Bath during the regular campaign, beaten 43-15 at The Recreation Ground in May. Chessum knows the Tigers will have to step up to the challenge as Bath seek to complete a trophy treble with what would be the Somerset club's first league title since 1996.

Potential payday puts extra Pep into players' step
Potential payday puts extra Pep into players' step

The Advertiser

time10 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Potential payday puts extra Pep into players' step

When Rodri suggested in September that players could strike over their increased workload, it seemed the newly expanded Club World Cup was the last thing Manchester City needed. The influential Spanish midfielder may also have been making a point about the expanded Champions League format, but the additional tournament in the US, shoe-horned into a period normally kept free for rest, was clearly a bone of contention. "I think we are close to that," the Ballon d'Or winner said when asked if players could stage industrial action over their seemingly ever-growing fixture commitments. "If it keeps this way, (there) will be a moment that we have no other option, but let's see." As the season unfolded, with City suffering an uncharacteristic blip - failing to put up a strong defence of the Premier League title they had won for the previous four years, and exiting the Champions League before the last 16 - it looked like they would need the break to regroup. Yet as the time has neared, no doubt helped by the announcement the winners of FIFA's latest showcase event could pocket nearly £100 million ($A209 million), the tone has changed. If Pep Guardiola has reservations about fixture congestion, injuries and a lack of preparation time for next season - all more than hinted at over the past season - he is now keeping them to himself. "This is a very, very serious competition," the City manager said recently with typical vigour. "In the summer, the whole world will be watching this. "A big number of the top teams in the world will be competing in this tournament, and I can assure you we're going to give it our best shot. We're going there to win it." City were the last team to win the Club World Cup in its old guise in December 2023, but that only required them to win two games in four days. The new quadrennial tournament is a different proposition, featuring 32 teams and lasting a month, following a format used for the traditional World Cup. City have been placed in Group G for this edition in the US alongside Morocco's Wydad Casablanca, Al Ain of Abu Dhabi and Italian side Juventus. Their regular Champions League foes, Real Madrid, could lie in wait in the first knockout round. Other notable sides involved include newly crowned European champions Paris St Germain and beaten finalists Inter Milan, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. There are 12 European entrants in total, with six from South America, four each from Africa and Asia, five from North America and one from Oceania. Brazil has the most participants of any country with four. The tournament, which begins on Saturday (Sunday AEST), has had plenty of detractors, particularly from Europe, and its success remains to be seen. However, for City the message is now clear: they would rather be involved than not. "It's an honour," Guardiola said. "It means in the last seasons we have done really well. It's a new competition for us and I'm looking forward to it." City play their first game against Wydad in Philadelphia on Thursday (AEST). When Rodri suggested in September that players could strike over their increased workload, it seemed the newly expanded Club World Cup was the last thing Manchester City needed. The influential Spanish midfielder may also have been making a point about the expanded Champions League format, but the additional tournament in the US, shoe-horned into a period normally kept free for rest, was clearly a bone of contention. "I think we are close to that," the Ballon d'Or winner said when asked if players could stage industrial action over their seemingly ever-growing fixture commitments. "If it keeps this way, (there) will be a moment that we have no other option, but let's see." As the season unfolded, with City suffering an uncharacteristic blip - failing to put up a strong defence of the Premier League title they had won for the previous four years, and exiting the Champions League before the last 16 - it looked like they would need the break to regroup. Yet as the time has neared, no doubt helped by the announcement the winners of FIFA's latest showcase event could pocket nearly £100 million ($A209 million), the tone has changed. If Pep Guardiola has reservations about fixture congestion, injuries and a lack of preparation time for next season - all more than hinted at over the past season - he is now keeping them to himself. "This is a very, very serious competition," the City manager said recently with typical vigour. "In the summer, the whole world will be watching this. "A big number of the top teams in the world will be competing in this tournament, and I can assure you we're going to give it our best shot. We're going there to win it." City were the last team to win the Club World Cup in its old guise in December 2023, but that only required them to win two games in four days. The new quadrennial tournament is a different proposition, featuring 32 teams and lasting a month, following a format used for the traditional World Cup. City have been placed in Group G for this edition in the US alongside Morocco's Wydad Casablanca, Al Ain of Abu Dhabi and Italian side Juventus. Their regular Champions League foes, Real Madrid, could lie in wait in the first knockout round. Other notable sides involved include newly crowned European champions Paris St Germain and beaten finalists Inter Milan, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. There are 12 European entrants in total, with six from South America, four each from Africa and Asia, five from North America and one from Oceania. Brazil has the most participants of any country with four. The tournament, which begins on Saturday (Sunday AEST), has had plenty of detractors, particularly from Europe, and its success remains to be seen. However, for City the message is now clear: they would rather be involved than not. "It's an honour," Guardiola said. "It means in the last seasons we have done really well. It's a new competition for us and I'm looking forward to it." City play their first game against Wydad in Philadelphia on Thursday (AEST). When Rodri suggested in September that players could strike over their increased workload, it seemed the newly expanded Club World Cup was the last thing Manchester City needed. The influential Spanish midfielder may also have been making a point about the expanded Champions League format, but the additional tournament in the US, shoe-horned into a period normally kept free for rest, was clearly a bone of contention. "I think we are close to that," the Ballon d'Or winner said when asked if players could stage industrial action over their seemingly ever-growing fixture commitments. "If it keeps this way, (there) will be a moment that we have no other option, but let's see." As the season unfolded, with City suffering an uncharacteristic blip - failing to put up a strong defence of the Premier League title they had won for the previous four years, and exiting the Champions League before the last 16 - it looked like they would need the break to regroup. Yet as the time has neared, no doubt helped by the announcement the winners of FIFA's latest showcase event could pocket nearly £100 million ($A209 million), the tone has changed. If Pep Guardiola has reservations about fixture congestion, injuries and a lack of preparation time for next season - all more than hinted at over the past season - he is now keeping them to himself. "This is a very, very serious competition," the City manager said recently with typical vigour. "In the summer, the whole world will be watching this. "A big number of the top teams in the world will be competing in this tournament, and I can assure you we're going to give it our best shot. We're going there to win it." City were the last team to win the Club World Cup in its old guise in December 2023, but that only required them to win two games in four days. The new quadrennial tournament is a different proposition, featuring 32 teams and lasting a month, following a format used for the traditional World Cup. City have been placed in Group G for this edition in the US alongside Morocco's Wydad Casablanca, Al Ain of Abu Dhabi and Italian side Juventus. Their regular Champions League foes, Real Madrid, could lie in wait in the first knockout round. Other notable sides involved include newly crowned European champions Paris St Germain and beaten finalists Inter Milan, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. There are 12 European entrants in total, with six from South America, four each from Africa and Asia, five from North America and one from Oceania. Brazil has the most participants of any country with four. The tournament, which begins on Saturday (Sunday AEST), has had plenty of detractors, particularly from Europe, and its success remains to be seen. However, for City the message is now clear: they would rather be involved than not. "It's an honour," Guardiola said. "It means in the last seasons we have done really well. It's a new competition for us and I'm looking forward to it." City play their first game against Wydad in Philadelphia on Thursday (AEST).

FIFA Club World Cup: Jack Grealish dropped, Real Madrid recruit's secret talent
FIFA Club World Cup: Jack Grealish dropped, Real Madrid recruit's secret talent

News.com.au

time10 hours ago

  • News.com.au

FIFA Club World Cup: Jack Grealish dropped, Real Madrid recruit's secret talent

The attention of the football world turns to the FIFA Club World Cup kicking off this weekend, but as stars gear up for the tournament, one forgotten player has been left out. Jack Grealish's future at Manchester City was plunged into further doubt after the England international was left out of Pep Guardiola's squad for the Club World Cup. Watch every game of The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Despite City naming just 27 players from a possible 35 for the tournament beginning in the United States on June 14, Grealish was omitted alongside former captain Kyle Walker. All four of the club's new signings this week — Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijani Reijnders and Marcus Bettinelli — are included. Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is also selected after making his comeback from a long-term knee injury just before the end of the Premier League season. Grealish, who remains City's record signing after a £100 million (A$208 million) move from Aston Villa in 2021, has fallen down the pecking order over the past two seasons. He made just seven Premier League starts in the 2024/25 campaign and was notably not summoned from the bench as City went down to a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final last month. The 29-year-old still has two years left to run on his City contract and his reported £300,000-a-week (A$627,000) wages are a barrier to finding a potential suitor. Guardiola threatened last month he could leave the club if the size of his squad is not cut before the new season begins. Grealish is just one of a number of expected exits, along with Walker. The 35-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan, but the Italian giants have not taken up an option to buy. City begin their Club World Cup campaign against Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia next Thursday before facing further group games against Al Ain of Abu Dhabi and Juventus. One player available for the Club World Cup is Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was officially unveiled as Real Madrid's new star recruit on Friday. The former Liverpool star left fans stunned as he addressed the media in Spanish, rather than immediately using a translator. For his Real Madrid unveiling, Alexander-Arnold prepared a short speech, which you can watch below. Speaking in Spanish, the 26-year-old said: 'Good afternoon. Thank you to (club president) Florentino Perez and the club for this opportunity. 'This doesn't happen every day, it's a dream come true. 'I'm very happy and proud to be here. I want to show Real Madrid fans how I play. 'I realise that I am signing for Real Madrid and that the demands are high but I am going to give my all for the team and Real Madrid fans. That's not even Duolingo Spanish. Trent has been putting in the hard yards with a tutor! — Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) June 12, 2025 'I want to show those fans how I play, I want to win many titles, I want to be a winner here and enjoy playing alongside the best players in the world. Hala Madrid.' The two-time Premier League winner's speech sparked plenty of reaction online. One fan wrote: 'Wait a minute.. Trent can speak Spanish?? He's so ready.' While a second posted: 'No way he was learning Spanish while he was still a Liverpool player.' Another added: 'He was on Duolingo instead of practising defending .. fairs yo.' Speaking in English later, Alexander-Arnold said he'd been 'waiting a long time' to join Real Madrid, before clarifying that he meant 'a couple of weeks, not years'. Alexander-Arnold could make his Madrid debut on Wednesday in their Club World Cup opener against Al HIlal. He has been named as one of the defenders in their squad for the tournament alongside fellow new arrival Dean Huijsen. What is the FIFA Club World Cup? The tournament will be held at 12 venues across the United States, featuring an expanded format with 32 teams competing to be crowned the official FIFA Club World Champions. Participating teams include some of the world's largest clubs including Chelsea FC, Manchester City, Real Madrid CF, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Bayern München and CR Flamengo. Many of football's biggest stars are expected to feature including Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Cole Palmer and more. The competition gets under way with Inter Miami facing Egyptian club Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday morning Australian time. 'It starts a new era of football, a new era of club football. A little bit like when, in 1930, the first World Cup, right, started,' FIFA president Gianni Infantino told AFP. 'We want to be inclusive. We want to give opportunities to clubs from all over the world,' he said. 'It's really to globalise football, to make it truly, truly global.' How to watch the FIFA Club World Cup in Australia Football legends Ronaldo, Christian Vieri, Sami Khedira and John Obi Mikel headline a star-studded talent line up that will bring every game of the FIFA Club World Cup 202 to Kayo Sports, starting this Sunday. The quartet are among 30 experts, commentators and presenters in DAZN's on-air team, which will front all 63 games of the tournament. Kayo Sports customers can watch every FIFA Club World Cup 2025 game as part of their existing subscription. The coverage will include a dedicated 24/7 channel which is now live, plus highlights packages and minis from every match and additional programming. The tournament begins on Sunday when Lionel Messi's Inter Miami takes on Al Ahly in the opening fixture. Coverage begins at 9am AEST. One of football's most decorated players, Brazil legend Ronaldo will provide expert analysis throughout the tournament. The striker, who starred in his country's 2002 FIFA World Cup win, was a two-time Ballon d'Or winner and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, as well as winning many of club football's biggest titles. He will be joined by former Italian striker Christian Vieri. Once the world's most expensive player when signed by Inter Milan in 1999, Vieri spent most of his childhood in Sydney before enjoying a decorated career in his country of birth. German legend Sami Khedira and Nigerian champion John Obi Mikel also join the line-up. They are joined by former Premier League stars including Shay Given, Rob Green and Andros Townsend, plus current Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson. FIFA Club World Cup on-air line up Hosts: Ade Oladipo, Kelly Somers, Olivia Buzaglo and James Richardson Commentators: Conor McNamara, Rich Wolfenden, Dan O'Hagan, Mike Minay, Pete Odgers, Brandon Smith, Joe Speight, Jess Charman Co-commentators: Andros Townsend, Michael Brown, Brad Friedel, Rob Green, Danny Higginbotham, Don Hutchison, Jonas Olsson, Anita Asante Broadcast Talent: John Obi Mikel, Sami Khedira, Christian Vieri, Ronaldo, Shay Given, Callum Wilson, Claude Makélélé, Kleberson, Mamadou Sakho, Lianne Sanderson and others Who is the favourite? Champions League winners Paris Saint Germain are the favourites to win the Club World Cup, with Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Chelsea among the contenders. Which teams are playing in the FIFA Club World Cup? Group A: Palmeiras (Brazil), Porto (Porugal), Al Ahly (Egypt), Inter Miami (USA) Group B: Paris Saint-Germain (France), Atletico Madrid (Spain), Botafogo (Brazil), Seattle Sounders (USA) Group C: Bayern Munich (Germany), Benfica (Portugal), Boca Juniors (Argentina), Auckland City (New Zealand) Group D: Flamengo (Brazil), Chelsea (England), Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), Los Angeles FC (USA)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store