Napoli’s Surprise Bid: Sterling to Italy and a De Bruyne Nudge That Could Rewrite the Transfer Picture
4 February 2026
Background
Napoli are exploring a move for Raheem Sterling after his departure from Chelsea, intending to leverage a long-standing friendship with Kevin De Bruyne to help seal the deal.
According to The Sun, De Bruyne—Napoli’s key playmaker—is actively urging Sterling to join the Italian champions.
Negotiations with Napoli are in motion, and Sterling appears keen to reunite with a former Italy-based teammate, if the terms align.
Financial considerations and previous attempts
Napoli’s sporting leadership has flagged high financial expectations around Sterling, which could complicate the deal.
Last summer, Napoli even explored a loan option when Sterling was reported to earn around £325,000 per week, a proposal that ultimately stalled.
Sterling spent last season on loan at Arsenal, with Chelsea covering the remaining balance. Now 31, he is said to be open to reducing salary demands to pursue a move abroad and refresh his career.
Family, form, and the De Bruyne connection
Securing a transfer that works for his family remains a priority for Sterling, and reuniting with De Bruyne is a strong motivational factor given their close friendship.
Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Mana recently highlighted the “big financial expectations” surrounding the player, underscoring why any deal would require careful financing.
Enzo Maresca’s previous tenure at Napoli is referenced in discussions about the club’s squad dynamics, with Sterling’s potential move framed against Napoli’s past transfer challenges and the team’s search for balance.
If a deal can be brokered, Sterling would join a growing narrative of a player seeking to extend his peak years in Serie A, guided by a teammate who knows him well.
For now, talks continue as Napoli assess whether this reunion with De Bruyne, and with a familiar Italian setting, can become a reality.
Two separate press days later, the only thing more persistent than transfer chatter will be Napoli’s corner kicks—because drama, apparently, travels faster than a football on a sunny Italian afternoon.
Punchline: If Napoli land Sterling, their winger will be quicker with his feet than this article is long—consider this your warm-up joke. Punchline 2: If it falls through, at least the mercato will give us more plot twists than a Serie A reboot, and with better haircuts.
