Manchester City might accept a hefty fee from the Saudi Pro League for Kevin De Bruyne if an offer comes in, as suggested by the Manchester Evening News. A figure of around £50 million ($64m) is being speculated. If offers fall short of this amount, City might prefer to let the 33-year-old Belgian midfielder leave as a free agent when his contract ends next summer.
De Bruyne is in the final year of his City contract, and no new deal has been agreed upon yet. There are rumors of a verbal agreement with Al Ittihad, where Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante currently play, although no formal discussions with City have occurred. However, De Bruyne recently denied having talks with any clubs about his future, stating that only a “silly” amount of money, enough to financially support future generations of his family, would be considered. Last summer, City was surprised when Riyad Mahrez decided to accept a substantial offer from Al Ahli.
By next summer, De Bruyne will have completed a decade at the Etihad Stadium, having joined from Wolfsburg in 2015. This mirrors the tenures of former City stars David Silva and Sergio Aguero, who both spent ten years at the club before leaving.
Following an injury-plagued 2023-24 season, De Bruyne participated in Euro 2024 with Belgium without a break. Regardless of his future with Manchester City, he deserves some time to reflect. A decision regarding his international career might also be made before September.