Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne has reportedly decided to join Serie A side Napoli when his contract expires.
City are set to face Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday in their final game of the season, and it will also be De Bruyne's final match for the club.
The Belgian has enjoyed a trophy laden spell in Manchester - winning six league titles and one Champions League - but he will depart upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.
De Bruyne had expressed his desire to remain playing at a competitive level, suggesting that he would even be open to joining another English side.
However, The Daily Mail claim that the 33-year-old will finalise a move to Napoli within the next fortnight, ending speculation that he could join rivals such as Liverpool.
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Is Napoli the right move?
Napoli's 2-0 victory against Cagliari ensured that they ended the 2024-25 campaign as Serie A champions, claiming the title for the second time in three seasons.
Current boss Antonio Conte boasts a phenomenal league record - winning domestic leagues with Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus and Napoli - and it would not be surprising if De Bruyne added more silverware to his collection.
The Italian manager has already successfully integrated other Premier League stars into his team, with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay excelling in Naples.
It should be noted that Conte has not stayed at any side for more than three years, so choosing to move to Napoli could be risky if De Bruyne has ambitions of avoiding turbulence in the latter stages of his career.
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Can City replace De Bruyne?
City brought Omar Marmoush to the Etihad from Eintracht Frankfurt in the January transfer window, and he has shown promise in the final third, scoring eight goals and providing one assist.
The Egyptian will likely improve with a full pre-season under his belt, but it is difficult to see him replicating the creative impact of De Bruyne.
Boss Pep Guardiola could be forced to look at strengthening in the summer market in order to help replace the Belgian, with the acquisition of a ranged passer a matter of priority.
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Lewis Nolan
