Kevin De Bruyne's dream team-mate? Napoli close in on €35m signing of 6'7" striker following blockbuster addition of Man City legend

According to Fabrizio Romano,the deal structure includes an initial €9m loan fee, followed by a mandatory purchase clause of €26m (£22.5m/$30m), which could increase through various performance-based add-ons. Scoring 14 goals and contributing two assists for Udinese, the towering striker displayed a combination of strength, positional intelligence, and finishing ability that caught the eyes of scouts across Europe.

Napoli had initially set their sights on Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez as their priority summer signing. Despite the Uruguay international showing interest in a move to Italy, Liverpool were unwilling to accept a proposed €55m (£48m/$64m) offer from the Partenopei. Napoli have since paused their pursuit of Nunez, though sources suggest the club could return with another bid once they finalise the expected departure of Victor Osimhen.

De Bruyne completed his switch to Napoli earlier this summer, signing a two-year deal on June 11. The Belgian maestro has already joined the squad for pre-season and shared a social media post with the caption: "First day of school! 💙".

The acquisition of De Bruyne and now the impending arrival of Lucca, who will no doubt benefit from the Belgian's crossing ability, underscore Napoli’s determination to push beyond their recent domestic success. After securing their fourth Scudetto title, the club is now setting its sights on something even more elusive, retaining the Serie A crown. Historically, Napoli have never managed to win back-to-back league titles. However, with the likes of De Bruyne orchestrating the midfield and Lucca offering fresh firepower up front, optimism is steadily growing among fans. They will open their Serie A campaign on August 23 against Sassuolo.