“SHOCKING HEIST! West Ham ROBBED of 72-Goal Premier League SUPERSTAR in Jaw-Dropping Transfer Coup!”

Kevin De Bruyne Set to Join Napoli, Ending West Ham Hopes

West Ham’s hopes of securing Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne have ended following confirmation that the Belgian has agreed terms with Serie A side Napoli.

The 33-year-old will depart Manchester City at the conclusion of his contract this summer, bringing to a close a decade-long stint at the Etihad Stadium.

During his time with the club, De Bruyne established himself as one of the Premier League’s most influential players, winning six league titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups, and five Carabao Cups.

Signed in 2015 from Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg for a then-club-record £55 million, De Bruyne scored 108 goals and provided 177 assists in all competitions for City. With his contract expiring, he will be available on a free transfer.

Reports from talkSPORT indicated that two Premier League clubs—West Ham and Aston Villa—had shown serious interest in securing De Bruyne’s signature.

With his wealth of experience and proven quality, both sides were keen to land a marquee signing.

New West Ham manager Graham Potter is understood to be seeking reinforcements in midfield following the departures of Carlos Soler and Guido Rodríguez, whose loan spells have concluded.

Additionally, long-serving midfielder Tomáš Souček is rumored to be a target for Everton, potentially reuniting with former manager David Moyes.

De Bruyne, with 72 Premier League goals and 121 assists, would have added significant pedigree and leadership to a Hammers side that finished a disappointing 14th in the 2024/25 campaign. His arrival could have been a statement signing as Potter looks to reshape the squad.

However, any hopes of bringing De Bruyne to East London now appear over. According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the midfield maestro has finalized an agreement to join Napoli.

The formalities of the transfer—including paperwork—are expected to be completed on Sunday, June 1.

Once the documents are exchanged, De Bruyne will undergo a medical before officially linking up with Napoli, the newly crowned Serie A champions.

He will work under new head coach Antonio Conte, who is set to take charge in Naples ahead of the 2025/26 season.

While De Bruyne’s experience and quality are undeniable, his signing would have represented a shift from the recruitment policy outlined by Potter earlier in the season.

The former Brighton boss has publicly emphasized his intent to build a younger, more dynamic squad and reduce the average age of the team.

Speaking on his long-term vision, Potter said:

“At Brighton, we left the club in fourth with what I believe was the best value-for-money squad in the league.

If we can replicate that model at West Ham, then the sky’s the limit. A winning side with real market value on the pitch—that’s what we’re working towards.

“In three years, if we can build something like that—players equivalent to Caicedo, Mac Allister, Trossard, Sanchez, Dunk, Gross—it could be worth £200 million in player sales alone.

Add Bissouma, Ben White, Cucurella, Estupiñán… that’s what success looks like to me. Win games and develop assets—that’s performance.”

With De Bruyne now destined for Serie A, West Ham will turn their attention back to younger targets that fit Potter’s long-term blueprint for the club.