Saudi Arabian clubs are reportedly planning to offer Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne a “huge” salary package to bring him to the Saudi Pro League next summer.
According to Football Insider, Manchester City are in danger of losing Kevin de Bruyne, with Saudi Pro League recruiters set to step up their pursuit of the attacking midfielder with a “jaw-dropping” contract offer on the table.
The Saudi top flight’s stock has grown meteorically of late, as the lure of lucrative contracts has seen the league become flooded with big-name European stars. Cristiano Ronaldo hit the headlines when he joined Al-Nassr earlier this year following his departure from Manchester United, and a number of big names followed him to the Middle East over the recent transfer window.
The likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Riyad Mahrez, Marcelo Brozovic, and more are now plying their trade in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Pro League sides have tried but failed to get more massive transfers over the line. Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah were primary targets of Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, respectively, but didn’t make the move. A recent report has detailed how Salah is now “increasingly likely” to quit Liverpool in order to move to a side in the Middle East in 2024.
He might not be the only high-profile Premier League name who could move there soon, with reports coming out that Manchester City’s star playmaker De Bruyne had been invited to a meeting with Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.
The Belgian star is regarded as one of the best players in the world, having arrived in a then club-record £55 million deal from Wolfsburg in summer 2015.
In his time at the Etihad, De Bruyne has won 13 major honours, including the Premier League five times, while he finally landed the Champions League trophy in June earlier this year to complete the set. Not to mention, the world-class midfielder has racked up an excellent 96 goals and an astonishing 128 assists in 358 appearances.
However, talks over an extension of his enormous £400,000-per-week contract have been postponed following a hamstring injury that he suffered on the opening day of the season. As things stand, his contract is due to expire at the end of next season, which will see him reach 10 years of service at the Etihad Stadium.
As per Football Insider, the Premier League champions are in no rush to offer De Bruyne a contract extension because of his recent injury history. His future at the Etihad Stadium is now being called into question, with fears that he is past his physical peak at the age of 32.
Despite being one of the best-paid players in the Premier League and currently happy at the Etihad Stadium, the “jaw-dropping” finances and long-term security offered to him could persuade him to move to Saudi Arabia.
A strong argument could be made that De Bruyne and Salah are the two best players in the Premier League, so their potential departures to Saudi Arabia could be the most impactful yet in terms of making a resounding statement.
The report adds that Saudi Pro League clubs are unlikely to make a bid for the five-time Premier League winner until the summer of 2024, which should give City some time to find an apt replacement.
