De Bruyne makes final decision on transfer after last-gasp Premier League snub

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will bid farewell to the former Premier League champions before opening talks with Napoli over a potential move to Italy

Outgoing Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne favours a free transfer to Napoli after deciding against pursuing a move to another Premier League club.

De Bruyne, 33, confirmed last month that City would not be offering him an extension to his current contract, meaning he will bring the curtain down on his decade-long association with the former Premier League champions on Sunday at Fulham.

A host of clubs have been credited with an interest in signing De Bruyne on a free transfer; the Belgian maestro was even sent an invitation to join Liverpool from the mischievous Mohamed Salah.

But it now seems as though De Bruyne will be moving overseas, with The Mail revealing that De Bruyne has decided to join Napoli, rather than linking up with Chicago Fire in the MLS.

It's said he is keen on putting pen to paper on a two-year contract with the newly minted Italian champions, who clinched their fourth Scudetto on Friday. Negotiations are expected to begin after the end Premier League finale on Sunday.

While De Bruyne has been strongly linked with a move to the United States, the player himself refused to rule out joining a Premier league rival after first revealing that City had informed him they would not be extending his contract.

But it emerged earlier this week that De Bruyne had decided against staying in the Premier League and was likely to move abroad.

Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, paid a glowing tribute to one of the most influential players in the club's history ahead of his final game in a sky blue shirt.

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"When the decision is shared and both agree, it's easier. When it's not, because Kevin would have liked to stay and the club decides not to, it's always difficult," Guardiola said.

"It's many years, many days, many training sessions, many games, many joys and many bad moments; so many things that come together in a moment when you'll never be together again.

"Obviously, they'll be there when we see each other, but in the day-to-day, when you go to chat and see that place where he was sitting... Oh God, he's not there anymore."