Manchester City ace Kevin De Bruyne has decided he is open to penning a new contract at the Etihad despite previously discussing a lucrative switch to the Middle East, according to a report.
De Bruyne is now 33 years old and has entered the final 12 months of his Man City contract, and both of these factors have resulted in him being tipped to leave. The Saudis are trying to sweep up a host of the best, ageing players in the world and De Bruyne has almost certainly appeared on their radar.
The attacking midfielder has done little to play down such rumours, either. In June, he said his wife, Michele, would be ok with ‘an exotic adventure’, though he did note that his kids only know what life is like in England.
De Bruyne added: “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.
“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.”
De Bruyne’s comments led to fears that he might run down his Man City deal and join a Saudi Pro League club on a free transfer at the end of the season.
But the Belgium captain gave City fans a boost on Sunday as he revealed that it was a ‘quiet summer’ for him on the transfer front, despite all the speculation.
De Bruyne added: “I’ve not been entertained by anybody or spoken to anybody.”
Man City latest: Kevin De Bruyne set to stay
According to an update on the situation from Football Insider, De Bruyne has completed a U-turn since June and is now ‘expected’ to sign a new deal with City.
Club chiefs at the Etihad have no concerns about De Bruyne picking up a number of injuries or declining, despite his age. After all, his sublime talent should be able to help him transcend age.
The report tips City to begin contract talks with the playmaker and his camp in the next few weeks, as they look to strike an agreement before the end of the year.
Another reason City might be eager to tie down De Bruyne is his unstoppable partnership with Erling Haaland. De Bruyne is the player who passes to Haaland the most and sets him up for the majority of his goals.
While the striker would still score on a regular basis without De Bruyne in the side, it could be argued that he might not be quite as efficient.
De Bruyne has established himself as a legend for City since joining in August 2015. He is now regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time, having notched 103 goals and 171 assists in 386 games for City so far.
De Bruyne has played a crucial role in City winning a host of silverware, including one Champions League, six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups, among other trophies.
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