Kevin De Bruyne is firing on all cylinders at Napoli, and the spectacle has reignited a question burning across Europe: did Manchester City cut loose one of their modern greats a year early?
The Belgian maestro, described this week as “legendary” and “pure class,” is producing the kind of start that makes pundits wonder whether City traded short-term transition for the loss of a generational playmaker.
A Napoli rebirth
At 34, De Bruyne has shrugged off doubts and slipped into Serie A like a man refreshed. Two penalties in Belgium’s 4-2 win in Wales underline a ruthless streak that mixes craft with cold finishing. He arrives at the top of moves, threads passes with surgical calm and times his runs like a striker when the moment demands. Napoli have gained not only a world-class technician but a galvanising figure whose presence elevates every attack.
Numbers that sing
De Bruyne’s season so far reads like a highlight reel: 11 goal involvements in 12 games for club and country, with eight goals and three assists. It’s his best scoring start to a campaign and a stark counterpoint to the injury-hit final years at City. He’s among Serie A’s most creative midfielders for chances created and ranks high for shots on target, proof that this is a player still shaping games at the highest level.
City’s midfield gamble
Manchester City have quietly reshaped their squad, moving on senior stars as Guardiola refreshes the group. The transformation has yielded results, but De Bruyne’s early-season brilliance at Napoli exposes the risk of losing a rare match-winner. Compared with City’s current midfield and wing options, only compatriot Jeremy Doku approaches De Bruyne’s direct influence on goals. The match-up is not just tactical; it’s a reminder of the intangible leadership and invention the club released.
Belgium’s enduring engine
Even after being relieved of the captaincy, De Bruyne answered critics the way he always has: on the pitch. Five goals in four games under Rudi Garcia and a leadership-by-performance that has Belgium poised for another World Cup showpiece. At 35 next summer, he remains central to his nation’s ambitions, proving that age is a number and impact is measured in moments and match-winning choices.
Verdict
This is more than nostalgia. De Bruyne’s Napoli renaissance is a living counterargument to the idea that his best days were behind him. Whether City regret their decision depends on trophies and seasons to come, but for now the football world has been reminded that when Kevin De Bruyne is at full throttle, he belongs in the conversation of the very elite — and letting him go feels, at least for the moment, like a gamble that hasn’t paid off for Manchester City.