De Bruyne's move to Serie A was confirmed earlier this month by Napoli, who had been linked with the playmaker all summer. Speaking to reporters, De Bruyne said that he had been in the Premier League for a long time and decided to leave England to find a new challenge.

"I have done what I have done, and in the end, I am a Man City player for life," he said. "But I thought it was time to find a new challenge. When I saw the project in front of me, and the fact that I could play in Italy and still play at a high level, it was exciting for me."

De Bruyne hopes to inspire his new teammates to replicate their title-winning success from last season in what should be another thrilling title race. He believes that Napoli is the best place for him to compete at a high level and prove that he can still play at his best.

"From a competitive standpoint, it's the best place for me," De Bruyne said. "Napoli demonstrated their quality last year, and it will be totally different from England. I still feel competitive, and I want to prove that I can still play at a high level."