Kevin De Bruyne has cast doubt on his future at Napoli after publicly criticizing the tactical approach of former manager Antonio Conte.
The Belgian midfielder's comments, published by Nieuwsblad on May 31, 2026, have created an immediate hurdle for incoming manager Massimiliano Allegri, who wants to build his project around the playmaker.
De Bruyne expressed deep dissatisfaction with how his role was utilized during the past season, despite maintaining his own physical performance levels.
"I found my level to be quite good at the start, and even when I returned from injury, I was at a decent level," De Bruyne said.
"It was obviously difficult for me because Conte has a very different vision of football to mine, let's not beat around the bush.
I was never truly able to play in my role. That's how it was.
But I always gave 100%."
The midfielder further targeted the specific formations and offensive statistics recorded by the team under Conte's leadership.
"We play very defensively. If you score one goal per match with a 5-4-1...
that's not much," he said. "At the start of the year, we played very deep indeed.
Our top scorer has 10 goals (Hojlund actually finished the league with 12, editor's note), so yes, the offensive statistics were certainly not thrilling, but in terms of quality and football, I found it quite acceptable."
De Bruyne welcomed the departure of the manager and demanded formal discussions regarding the tactical direction of the club before committing to the final year of his contract.
"Am I happy Conte is leaving? For me, yes.
In my opinion, he shouldn't have stayed. My future?
I think it's important to have a discussion about the style of play. This year, I've realised that the way we play is very important to me.
I also need to continue enjoying myself, and unfortunately, I've missed that a bit.
I still have a year left on my contract, but I want to have a conversation.
Last year, certain things were said: 'We will play in a certain way, we will do this and that,' but then very little of that materialised, and that's clearly disappointing," De Bruyne said.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Allegri has agreed to a two-year contract with an option with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis, though he has not yet been formally released by Milan.
Financial factors also complicate the situation, as De Bruyne holds a contract worth 10 million euros gross, plus an additional 5 million euros due in the summer as a signing bonus, which conflicts with Napoli's goal of reducing its overall wage bill.
The Belgian midfielder previously rejected higher financial offers from clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States to stay in Europe for Champions League football, but his continuity remains uncertain as Allegri attempts to persuade him to remain.
