Kevin De Bruyne has just a year remaining on his Manchester City contract and amid links with big-money moves away from the Etihad Stadium, he appears to have already given the seal of approval to a move to the Saudi Pro League, agreeing to personal terms with Al-Ittihad.
Negotiations are ongoing between the Saudi Pro League giants and Man City over a transfer fee. If all goes according to plan, De Bruyne will leave the Premier League one year before his contract expires in a shock move, according to TEAMtalk's Rudy Galetti.
🚨📃 With the possible departure of Kevin #DeBruyne - personal terms agreed with #AlIttihad - #ManCity already drawn up a shortlist of possible replacements.
— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) July 5, 2024
🗞️ All the details on @TEAMtalk 👇https://t.co/EbsS4hg25P
Al-Ittihad appointed former France and Manchester United defender Laurent Blanc as the club's new manager earlier this month and boast several notable names on their books, including N'Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, Fabinho, and Jota.
However, despite splashing the cash last summer, the Public Investment Fund-owned club only managed a fifth-place finish in the Saudi Arabian top-flight, more than 40 points behind runaway leaders Al-Hilal.
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Who could replace Kevin De Bruyne at Man City?
There's a compelling case to be made that De Bruyne is in a league of his own when it comes to irreplaceable footballers.
Since his £55 million ($71m) move from Wolfsburg in 2015, De Bruyne has been a standout, becoming the lynchpin of City's creative engine during Guardiola's era of dominance.
The 33-year-old has amassed an impressive haul of silverware, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, and the coveted Champions League, cementing his and the club's illustrious dynasty.
However, Guardiola reportedly already has his eye on a few potential successors who could fill the Belgian's shoes.
City have set their sights on two talented German internationals from the Bundesliga: Jamal Musiala of Bayern Munich and Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. Benfica's Joao Neves and Paris Saint-Germain's Xavi Simons are also under consideration as potential options to replace De Bruyne.
Moreover, reports suggest that City is on the brink of landing RB Leipzig forward Dani Olmo, who was instrumental in Spain's Euro 2024 triumph earlier this summer.
