Manchester City midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne, has recently hinted at a potential departure from Etihad. The move is motivated by the "incredible money" being offered by clubs in Saudi Arabia. This revelation could potentially deal a significant blow to the Premier League champions.
De Bruyne joined Manchester City in August 2015 and has since established himself as one of the club's greatest players. As he approaches his 33rd birthday this month, however, he is becoming increasingly aware of time ticking on his illustrious career.
The Belgian star currently earns about £400,000 per week, making him Premier League’s highest-paid player. Despite this impressive salary, the lucrative sums on offer in Saudi Arabia are proving tempting for De Bruyne.
An Impressive trophy cabinet at Etihad
During his tenure as a City player, De Bruyne has won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five Carabao Cups. He also boasts international accolades such as the Champions League and Fifa Club World Cup under his belt.
De Bruyne was an integral member of City’s treble winners of 2022-23 season. His exceptional performances have not gone unnoticed; he has twice been voted the Professional Footballers’ Association’s player of the year and been named Premier League playmaker of the season three times.
Family’s future top priority for De Bruyne
"At my age you have to be open to everything," says Kevin De Bruyne when discussing potential future moves away from Manchester City. With only a year left on his current deal with ManCity, it seems that all options are on table for this talented playmaker.
Kevin de Bruyne, Manchester City midfielder, said:
“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. Then you have to think about what that could mean next. But at the moment I haven’t had to think about that yet.”
The prospect of losing such an influential figure would undoubtedly be a setback for Manchester city and its fans alike. However it's clear that with age comes wisdom - and perhaps even new opportunities. As De Bruyne himself puts it, "you have to be open to everything."
While the potential move of Kevin De Bruyne from Manchester City to a Saudi Pro League club may come as a surprise for many sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike, it is a reminder that football is not just about passion but also about business. The coming months will reveal whether this Belgian playmaker will indeed make the leap or choose to stay with his current team.
