Kevin De Bruyne Advocates for Jack Grealish’s Move to Napoli

Kevin De Bruyne reportedly supports a transfer for his former teammate Jack Grealish to Napoli this summer. Grealish, 29, transferred from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021 for a club-record fee of £100million, becoming the most expensive English player at the time.

Since then, Grealish has struggled to find consistent form at City. While he contributed to City’s Treble-winning 2022-23 season, his overall impact has waned, and he has been less prominent in recent campaigns. In 2024-25, he has been further sidelined, starting only seven Premier League matches—just one since the beginning of 2025.

Tensions escalated earlier this month when Grealish was omitted from City’s 27-man squad for the Club World Cup and faced direct orders from manager Pep Guardiola to find a new club. City is open to loan offers if no buyer emerges, as Grealish remains under contract with two years remaining on his lucrative £300,000-per-week deal.

De Bruyne, who recently completed his transfer to Serie A champions Napoli, has been advocating for Grealish’s acquisition. Napoli coach Antonio Conte has reportedly been consulting De Bruyne for insight on Grealish, hoping this reference may influence a potential move. Napoli’s interest aligns with their history of signing former Premier League stars, including Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Romelu Lukaku, and Philip Billing.

Meanwhile, Grealish is eager for regular playing time to secure a spot in England’s World Cup squad, with manager Gareth Southgate emphasizing the importance of consistent game time. City has confirmed that Grealish’s limited appearances last season resulted from tactical choices by Guardiola, who believes it is best for him to leave for his development.

Kevin De Bruyne supports a move for Jack Grealish to Napoli.