Kevin de Bruyne hasn’t closed door on Saudi move, ex-Chelsea technical director spearheading potential transfer: Reports
Kevin De Bruyne has reportedly not closed the door on a potential transfer to Saudi Arabia this summer.
As per The Athletic journalist Sam Lee, the Saudi Pro League's sporting director Michael Emenalo is keen on signing the Manchester City midfielder. De Bruyne, who has a contract with Manchester City until 2025, is reportedly considering the idea.
The Belgian was approached for a potential move to the Saudi Pro-League last summer with a reported salary of €70million annually on the table. However, he rejected the offer. Yet, former Chelsea technical director Emenalo kept contact with De Bruyne and has not given up on signing the midfielder.
Emenalo had played an important role in Kevin De Bruyne's transfer from Genk to Chelsea in 2012. He signed for Chelsea for a reported fee of £6.7m on a five-and-a-half-year deal.
Kevin De Bruyne is reportedly eager to move to the MLS over the Saudi Pro League
The Athletic reported earlier this in February that Kevin De Bruyne is keen on playing in Major League Soccer over the Saudi Pro League. The Belgian would reportedly consider staying at Manchester City if he were to be offered a contract extension.
However, City have apparently not prioritized the renewal of players aged above 30, given how they reportedly delayed Ikaay Gundogan's renewal offer. The German ended up moving to the La Liga club Barcelona last summer after serving as the captain of the treble-winning Manchester City side.
De Bruyne turns 33 this summer, so it remains to be seen if Man City renews his contract during the transfer window.
The Belgian was out for the majority of the current season due to a hamstring injury. He picked up an injury in Manchester City's 3-0 win over Burnley (August 12). The midfielder made his return against Huddersfield Town (January 7) in the FA Cup when Guardiola brought him on as a substitute for Julian Alvarez.
In the Premier League, De Bruyne returned in City's fixture against Newcastle United (April 13), scoring one goal and providing an assist.
The Belgian has contributed six goals and 16 assists across 21 competitions in the 2023-24 season.