Kevin De Bruyne sent chilling Napoli warning by irate Antonio Conte – ‘He’s got the wrong guy’

Kevin De Bruyne was visibly frustrated after being taken off during Napoli’s defeat to AC Milan on Sunday, and was also sent an ominous warning from boss Antonio Conte as a result of his actions.

The Manchester City legend was withdrawn in the 72nd minute as part of a triple substitution by Conte with Napoli chasing an equaliser in their Serie A clash.

The Belgian had earlier pulled a goal back from the penalty spot at the San Siro after Milan’s Pervis Estupinan saw red and forced the home side to play for the final half-hour with 10 men.

However, De Bruyne was deemed surplus to requirements when it came to Conte’s men finding a leveller, and he let that frustration get the better of him as he gestured towards his coach on the touchline as he left the pitch.

Conte addressed the incident following the match, which ended in a 2-1 defeat for the Italian champions courtesy of Milan strikes from Alexis Saelemaekers and Christian Pulisic.

He explained, in a veiled threat to the Belgian: “I hope De Bruyne was upset about the substitution because of the result, because otherwise he’s got the wrong guy.

“I tried to bring in fresh players for one-on-one situations, given that Milan were closing down a lot. I replaced (Rasmus) Hojlund with (Lorenzo) Lucca.

“There’s not much to say, I think the substitutions were the right ones.”

Sunday’s result in Milan ended Napoli’s perfect start to the new league season.

DON’T MISS ➡️ Free agents: The five best unattached players available in each position

De Bruyne-Conte spat played down

Despite Conte’s comments, European football expert Andy Brassell believes there is not really too much to read in the past between the two.

Indeed, Brassell told talkSPORT: “We know what Conte’s like. He’s really demanding and he’s going to do whatever he thinks at the time is the right thing to get a result.

“I know he’s had good resources to an extent at the clubs he’s been at. And part of that’s because he’s a coach of profile and part of that’s because he’s incredibly demanding.

“But if you look at the numbers, he’s got a near 70 per cent winning ratio in Serie A. It’s extraordinary.

“Then he comes over to England and Chelsea wins a title in his first season. The guy is an absolute winner. Yet he still lives every goal like it’s a huge event. He’s an incredibly intense guy.

“So clearly, I think it’s unrealistic to think with what and who De Bruyne is, that there’s not going to be friction between him and Conte at various points. I think we have to take that as read.

“It’s a little bit like the friction between Conte and (Aurelio) De Laurentiis, the president. The fact is, you don’t just employ people who agree with you all the time, do you?

“You need those little moments of creative tension. And I think both De Bruyne and Conte believe that. They know that you’ve got to lean into it.”

Latest Serie A news: Chelsea still want Maignan; Prem trio eye Juventus star

Chelsea remain interested in AC Milan’s world-class goalkeeper Mike Maignan and TEAMtalk can reveal the star’s stance on a switch to the Premier League, though the Blues could again be frustrated in their pursuit.

Elsewhere, West Ham United could look to complete a solid January transfer swoop for an experienced Serie A midfielder as a first signing for new boss Nuno Espirito Santo, although they will have to reportedly rival the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle for his signature.

And finally, Arsenal have stepped up their pursuit of Juventus maestro Kenan Yildiz by making contact with the Italian giants and starting talks with his entourage, a stunning report has claimed.