Serie A table-toppers SSC Napoli are set to make an initial offer next week to sign Kevin De Bruyne, who is leaving Manchester City upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season, as reported by Sacha Tavolieri. The 33-year-old currently holds the record for the most assists in a Premier League season.
Napoli Set to Approach Kevin De Bruyne
What Has Been Said So Far
Tavolieri confirmed Gianluca Di Marizio’s report that De Bruyne’s representatives met with Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna last week.
He also said that the Belgian superstar has spoken to his international teammates Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku about a potential move to Naples and that the duo’s feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
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Lukaku joined Napoli in the summer and has been instrumental in their title charge, registering 21 combined goals and assists in the league, meaning he is very well-equipped to tell De Bruyne about the current atmosphere in Naples. Mertens, although no longer with the Azzurri, spent nine years with the club between 2013 and 2022, making just shy of 400 appearances and scoring 148 goals in that time.
However, this is likely just the beginning of this transfer story.
Tavolieri notes that the main goal of Napoli’s offer will only be to ascertain De Bruyne’s demands, meaning that any potential contractual agreement may still be a while away.
Where Would De Bruyne Fit In?
Although they look set to have an incredibly successful season, Napoli could certainly do with the star power and creativity of Manchester City’s captain, as their attack has been the Azzuri’s relative weakness this campaign.
They have scored the joint fourth-most goals in Italy’s top flight, but this is a staggering 18 goals less than Inter and their xG is equally as worrying as they sit sixth for xG created.
What is by far the most concerning statistic is their lack of big chances created. The Naples-based side sit in a lowly ninth place in this metric and they have created less big chances than Cagliari, who sit in 14th place in Serie A.
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However, chance creation is the area in which De Bruyne excels. He alone has created 14 big chances this season, 20% of what Napoli has created as a team.
This season, the Belgian has created 2.98 chances and averages 0.34 expected assists (xA) per 90, more than 96.7% of Premier League midfielders. These numbers are equally as good in the Champions League, where he has created more chances per 90 than 95% of attacking midfielders.
Despite a lack of regular minutes, due to concerns over fitness and form, the Genk youth product has been able to show his class, generating a combined total of 11 goals and assists in just 17 Premier League starts.
He would be the perfect technical foil to what is already a hard-working and mentally resilient Napoli team.
