Manchester City may need to go into the transfer market for a Kevin De Bruyne replacement as recent reports indicate that the midfielder is closer to leaving for Saudi Arabia than he is to staying at Manchester City.
De Bruyne joined the Cityzens from VfL Wolfsburg in the 2014/15 season as a winter transfer. In the nine seasons that followed, he played key roles in taking Manchester City to the pinnacle of English football and to the upper echelons of European football.
He has won multiple Premier League titles, multiple domestic titles, and a UEFA Champions League title in that time while becoming the club’s all-time assist provider. He also stamped his name as one of the best midfielders in the world in this time under consideration.
Having won all there is to win as a City player, the Belgian looks to be interested in a new challenge. Saudi Arabian football has presented itself to him with its hugely financially rewarding incentives, and De Bruyne, 33, is considering using his last years to secure his and his family’s financial future.
“At my age you have to be open to everything. You’re talking about incredible amounts of money in what may be the end of my career. Sometimes you have to think about that,” De Bruyne said at the end of the 2023/24 season.
“If I play there for two years, I will be able to earn an incredible amount of money. Before that I had to play football for 15 years. I may not even reach that amount yet.
“Then you have to think about what that could mean next. But at the moment I haven’t had to think about that yet.”
Al-Ittihad is the club that has reportedly agreed terms with De Bruyne. They currently have Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté and Fabinho and have recently appointed Laurent Blanc as their manager.
Signing the Belgian midfielder will still prove a huge coup for the side who finished fifth after winning the 2022/23 Saudi Pro League title. It is also reported that his wife is open to the move, as she loves the idea of an “exotic adventure”, probably influenced by the kind which Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner Georgina Rodriguez is having.
De Bruyne still has one year left on his current Manchester City contract which means City can cash in on one of their greatest ever players.
The Belgian has 382 appearances for City to date and has scored 102 goals while providing 170 assists and winning 15 trophies at the club.
