Conte unexpectedly admitted that Napoli made a 'major mistake' with De Bruyne and Hojlund

Coach Antonio Conte admitted that Napoli’s balance was disrupted following the summer transfer period, when they signed nine new players at once, among them Kevin De Bruyne and Rasmus Hojlund.

After a 2-6 defeat against PSV in the Champions League, Antonio Conte openly addressed Napoli’s internal issues. The Southern Italian club currently has just 3 points from 3 matches and is struggling in the race to advance. In Serie A, Napoli sits third, one point behind AC Milan, but behind these results lie many questions about the reigning champions' consistency.

Conte believes the main cause stems from the summer transfer window, when Napoli signed as many as nine new players, including big names like Kevin De Bruyne, Rasmus Hojlund, and Noa Lang. According to the Italian coach, making too many changes disrupted the cohesion that helped them win Serie A last season.

\"“It’s tough because we conceded goals too easily. Certainly, the whole team must regain their fighting spirit,”Conte shared with Ziggo Sport. \"“Last season we achieved an extraordinary Scudetto, but now perhaps we need to relearn humility and allow time for the new players to integrate. Maybe it was a mistake, a mistake to bring in nine new players at once because it changed everything.”

In the post-match press conference, the coach reiterated that Napoli recruited too many players in a short period. “This year, between having to play too many matches and bringing in too many new players… in my opinion, nine new signings is too many. We lost our balance,” Conte stated. “I always knew this season would be difficult, with many factors requiring time to adjust. This is the Champions League level; we have no excuses and can only keep working.”

Conte also emphasized that he understands the dressing room well and does not want to blame the players. “We had to open the market because last season the squad was too thin. When you bring in nine players, you need time and patience. The veterans must reinvent themselves, and I — as the leader — must do the same.”

Will Antonio Conte have enough time to help Napoli regain stability before the decisive phase of the Champions League?