Kevin De Bruyne is unlikely to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, sources at the Major League Soccer club have confirmed.
The legendary midfielder left Manchester City for SSC Napoli in Italy last summer on a free transfer. However, he endured a torrid debut season in Serie A, struggling physically after undergoing surgery on a serious thigh injury in October that sidelined him for several months. But more importantly, he found himself at a tactical impasse in manager Antonio Conte’s defensive system. New manager Max Allegri sports a similar style, and so, as a result, the 35-year-old playmaker has been linked with a departure from Naples all summer.
The MLS was pegged as an attractive option for De Bruyne. At Inter Miami, he would have linked up with Rodrigo de Paul and Casemiro in midfield, and serviced Messi and Luis Suarez up front. But senior sources at Inter Miami have poured cold water on those claims, denying any discussions with De Bruyne's representatives.
Other MLS franchises, including the Chicago Fire and San Diego FC, have been linked too, especially the former after their signing of Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona this summer. But again, there have been no concrete negotiations. As per Belgian transfer journalist Sacha Tavolieri, De Bruyne has decided with his family to stay on at Napoli for another season.
Frustrating time at Napoli
Napoli have moved worlds away from the free-flowing attacking style that brought them a long-awaited Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti. Conte delivered another league title to the club, but his setup grew predictably dour as his tenure progressed. De Bruyne struggled to find rhythm within that rigid defensive scheme and eventually voiced his frustration with the team's pragmatic approach.
"It was difficult for me, of course, because Conte has a very different vision of football than I do; we shouldn't beat around the bush about that," De Bruyne admitted during his recovery period. "We play very defensively. If you score one goal every match in a 5-4-1... That's not so great."
Conte has since departed the club, but the managerial change offers little reassurance for the Belgian. Napoli's appointment of Max Allegri brings another manager known for his pragmatism, making a resurgence in Southern Italy look increasingly improbable.
Despite a tumultuous club season, De Bruyne's quality shone through during Belgium's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in North America. Captaining the Red Devils to the quarter-finals before falling 2–1 to eventual contenders Spain, he showed his trademark passing range, vision, and dead-ball execution throughout the tournament, despite playing fewer minutes than expected and often being substituted in the second half.
He etched his name into national history during a 5–1 group-stage victory over New Zealand, curling home a left-footed strike to become the first Belgian player to score in three separate World Cup finals tournaments.