What Everton are promising De Bruyne as they dream of signing Man City legend

Everton’s January plans have thrown up a link that would have sounded daft when Kevin De Bruyne last came to Goodison Park.

Everton’s surprise links to Kevin De Bruyne

He captained Man City that afternoon in April 2025, and now there’s surprise talk of the Belgian walking out at the Hill Dickinson Stadium as one of David Moyes’ players.

De Bruyne won six Premier League titles and set up 170 goals in all competitions across a decade with City before leaving for Napoli, and the idea of bringing him back to England got a little more serious earlier this week, when Calciomercato.it reported that Everton had sounded out his representatives about a January deal.

That enquiry makes more sense when you look at where Everton are.

They went into the international break in sixth after coming from behind to beat Coventry 3-1, with Thierno Barry scoring twice to take his tally to 10 in all competitions.

Moyes has a striker who’s making his chances count and a team in the early running for Europe.

REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff

That gives Everton a reason to ask what one more source of goals could do for them, and there are few players better at spotting a run before the defenders have seen it than De Bruyne.

Everton would give De Bruyne a central role under Moyes

Mondo Napoli reports that Everton ‘dream’ of signing De Bruyne in January and would guarantee him a ‘central role’ under Moyes.

The pitch is that much of Everton’s attacking play would go through him, which could appeal to a player who has started six of Napoli’s 11 league games this season.

That figure only tells half the story.

De Bruyne has appeared in all 11 and scored four times, while Massimiliano Allegri has played him for every minute of Napoli’s Champions League campaign, while FotMob also credits him with creating more Serie A chances than any of his teammates.

Mondo Napoli mentions a loan and a permanent deal as possibilities, with Everton still looking into whether a move can be done.

Everton have had to find other ways to create while Jack Grealish has been out of the side, and De Bruyne can open up a defence from the middle when there’s little joy out wide.

Reuters/Craig Brough

There’s no suggestion in the report that Napoli have agreed to release him or that De Bruyne has told Everton he wants to come, but the attraction for Moyes is easy to see.

A summer deal looks Everton’s best bet

There’s a way to make it work on the pitch.

Put De Bruyne behind Barry and let him drift right, where he can whip in an early cross before the centre halves have time to set themselves.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall already plays behind Barry and scored against Coventry, though, so Moyes would have to find room for both if he wants to keep Dewsbury-Hall’s running in the side.

Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough

Thursday’s report in Il Mattino makes a January exit sound more plausible. The Italian paper says Napoli don’t intend to extend De Bruyne’s contract beyond June and could let him leave early if he asks, saving on his wages.

It also says he’s drawn to MLS, so Napoli being open to an exit would only get Everton part of the way.

For Everton, a deal until the summer would make the most sense, as they’d get a player who can change tight games in a season with something to play for, without making a long commitment to a 35-year-old.

It’s still a long shot until De Bruyne signals he wants another go at the Premier League and the wages make sense for Everton.