GENOA, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Kevin De Bruyne watches the Serie A clash between Genoa CFC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Kevin De Bruyne says he never tried to quit Napoli this summer, yet he concedes the campaign has begun ‘roughly’ under Allegri: ‘Fine margins separate our seven points from the ten or eleven we deserved.’
De Bruyne: ‘I just enjoyed my holiday and then went straight back to Napoli’
Napoli sit on their poorest Serie A opening in a decade, gathering just seven points from five games in 2026‑27. Italian reports on Tuesday suggest the atmosphere at Stadio Maradona is growing tense.
Rumours swirl that Allegri is let down by De Bruyne’s performances, especially after the Belgian’s fallout with Antonio Conte before leaving at the close of 2025‑26. In my view, Allegri must address the midfielder’s concerns immediately.
At the tail end of 2025‑26, De Bruyne missed five months through injury, sparking talk he was eyeing an MLS exit with several options on the table.
Despite the media buzz and claims he disliked life under Conte last season, De Bruyne maintains he never attempted to depart Napoli.
When asked if summer rumours held any truth during a press conference with Belgium, De Bruyne replied: “No, I haven’t spoken about it. I simply enjoyed my holidays and returned straight to Naples.”
He added: “We’ve had a rocky start, facing strong sides already. We even came close to winning in the dying minutes against Inter, but fell short. Those details cost us the difference between seven points and the ten or eleven we could have earned.”
“Our point tally isn’t great, yet I think we’re performing adequately.”
Did De Bruyne contemplate leaving Napoli? 🤔🗣️ #beINSPORTS #SerieA #Napoli #DeBruyne pic.twitter.com/rOUeuoN5Xn
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 22, 2026