Kevin De Bruyne is already making waves at Napoli—not just on the pitch, but in the transfer room. The Belgian playmaker, who joined Napoli on a free after leaving Manchester City, is pushing for his former teammate Jack Grealish to join him in Italy.
Grealish, 29, is expected to leave Manchester City this summer after a frustrating season with limited game time. His omission from City’s Club World Cup squad further hinted at a possible exit. Spurs remain favourites to land him, but Napoli are now seriously in the mix.
According to The Sun, Napoli boss Antonio Conte has asked De Bruyne for insight on Grealish, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. The midfielder’s glowing recommendation could tilt the balance in Napoli’s favour amid interest from Manchester United and Chelsea.
Manchester United are also monitoring Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho, both of whom have reportedly been made available under new boss Ruben Amorim. However, Napoli are only expected to pursue one of the three wingers.
Grealish is said to favour a move that would guarantee regular playing time and help him secure a spot in England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. With his Premier League career stalling, a switch to Serie A may be the reset he needs.
Speaking last week, Pep Guardiola confirmed that Grealish and the club had mutually agreed to leave him out of the Club World Cup squad. He praised the England international’s contributions during City’s treble-winning campaign but admitted Grealish now needs a fresh challenge.
“If we don’t find another solution, he’s a Manchester City player and he’ll be back,” said Guardiola, leaving the door slightly ajar for a return. But all signs point to a summer exit, with Napoli hoping to edge out their rivals in what could be one of the window’s biggest moves.
Antonio Conte is eager to build a squad capable of retaining the Serie A title and making a statement in the Champions League. With De Bruyne already on board, adding a creative force like Grealish could be a defining statement of intent.