The 34-year-old Belgian midfielder, speaking to Het Nieuwsblad, was candid about the friction that defined his first season in Naples.
A serious thigh injury sustained in late October ruled him out until March, and when he returned he found himself deployed in positions that did not suit his game under a coach whose defensive philosophy clashed fundamentally with De Bruyne's instinct to control matches from a deep playmaking position.
"Obviously it was difficult for me because Conte has a very different vision of football to mine. There's no point beating around the bush. I never had the opportunity to play in my preferred position."
On Conte's departure, he was equally direct.
"For me, yes. As far as I am concerned, he was not obliged to stay. There were promises made last summer on the way that we would play, but at the end of the day not much of it happened. Football has to remain enjoyable, and unfortunately I have been missing that a bit."
De Bruyne finished the campaign with nine goal involvements across 21 appearances — five goals and four assists — and created 40 chances, the second-highest total at the club behind Matteo Politano. Napoli finished second in Serie A under Conte before his departure, qualifying for the Champions League.
His contract runs until June 2027 with an option for a further year. Despite that security, De Bruyne made clear he will not simply continue without a conversation about how the club intends to play under their new head coach — who will be Massimiliano Allegri following confirmation of his appointment this week.
"I still have a year left on my contract, but I want to talk about it. Things were said last year as well."
The arrival of Allegri — who manages in a structured, tactical manner not dissimilar to Conte's approach — adds a new dimension to that conversation.