Football Italia revealed that the Italian club Napoli made a serious attempt to sign Brazilian star Neymar during the last transfer window, before ultimately deciding to acquire Belgian Kevin De Bruyne.

The source clarified that Napoli's management had devised a concrete plan to sign Neymar, who was available on a free transfer after ending his contract with Saudi club Al Hilal at the end of January, before returning to his home club Santos in Brazil.

The report indicated that Napoli's president Aurelio De Laurentiis, sporting director Giovanni Manna, and coach Antonio Conte were all supportive of the idea of signing Neymar to bolster the team's project for the 2025/2026 season, but the plan changed after the opportunity to sign De Bruyne arose.

In the end, Napoli successfully acquired Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer after his contract with Manchester City ended following ten years in the English league.

The Belgian star has made a strong start with Napoli this season, participating in five matches in the Italian league, scoring three goals, and providing two assists in the Champions League.