De Bruyne denies Napoli exit attempts, points to tough start

Kevin De Bruyne states he did not try to leave Napoli during the summer transfer window, but acknowledges a challenging beginning to the season under Massimiliano Allegri. He commented, "Details make the difference between our seven points and the 10 or 11 we might have earned."

Napoli has experienced its weakest Serie A start in a decade, securing only seven points from the first five matches of the 2026-27 season. Reports suggest internal issues at the Stadio Maradona are also emerging.

Speculation arose that Allegri was unhappy with De Bruyne's performance, a player who had disagreements with Antonio Conte before Conte's departure from Napoli at the end of the 2025-26 campaign. Following a five-month injury layoff in the previous season, rumors circulated about De Bruyne seeking a move, potentially to MLS.

Despite media reports and past suggestions of discontent with Conte, De Bruyne maintains he has not attempted to leave Napoli. When asked by the Belgium national team press on Tuesday about transfer rumors, De Bruyne replied, "No, I haven't really spoken to anyone about it. I just enjoyed my holidays and went straight back to Naples."

He added, "We've had a rough start to the season, facing many strong teams already. We even had a chance to win against Inter in the final minute, but we still lost. Those details are the difference between our seven points and the 10 or 11 we might have deserved. While our point total isn't ideal, I believe we're playing well."

English Translation:

Kevin De Bruyne insists he did not attempt to leave Napoli during the summer transfer window but admits to a 'rough start' under Massimiliano Allegri, stating, "Details are the difference between our seven points and the 10 or 11 we might've deserved."

Napoli is off to their worst Serie A start in 10 years, having earned just seven points from their first five games of the 2026-27 season. Reports on Tuesday indicated that the atmosphere behind the scenes at the Stadio Maradona is also becoming strained.

There have been suggestions that Allegri is disappointed with De Bruyne's contributions. De Bruyne also had issues with Antonio Conte prior to Conte's exit from Napoli at the end of the 2025-26 season. Following a five-month injury absence in the 2025-26 campaign, reports claimed the Belgian was looking to depart, with MLS being a potential destination.

However, despite the recent media attention and rumors of his unhappiness under Conte last season, De Bruyne maintains he has not sought a move away from Napoli. When questioned about the transfer rumors during a press conference with the Belgium national team on Tuesday, De Bruyne stated, "No, I haven't really spoken to anyone about it. I just enjoyed my holidays and went straight back to Naples."

He continued, "We’ve had a rough start to the season, facing many strong teams already. We even had the chance to win it in the final minute against Inter, but we still lost. Those details are the difference between our seven points and the 10 or 11 we might’ve deserved. We’re not doing so well in terms of points, but I think we’re doing fine."