Saudi Arabia’s top clubs are gearing up for a summer raid on Manchester City, with midfielder Kevin De Bruyne high on their wishlist, per The Times.
This news comes amid concerns that his contract negotiations with City are stalling. His £400,000 weekly contract will expire next year, and the club has been slow with talks regarding a renewal.
Clubs within the Saudi Pro League are keen to capitalise on the impasse to sign the 32-year-old to bolster their global image. They want to make him a marquee signing.
They also plan a similar pursuit for Manchester United’s Casemiro and could make another attempt for Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
The Saudi Pro League (SPL) recently changed their rules to permit ten foreign players per squad (up from eight). This move is to allow more foreign stars into the league.
However, the question on everyone’s lips is – why on God’s green earth would De Bruyne even consider swapping the Etihad for the Gulf State?
Why should any self-respecting name go there, seeing what has happened with Jordan Henderson?
The England international ran back to Europe, tail between his legs after a difficult spell at Al-Ettifaq, serving as a cautionary tale for those eyeing the riches of the Middle East.
There have also been complaints from family members of players who have accepted moves to the SPL, another drawback of such a move.
De Bruyne isn’t just chasing a bigger paycheck. At 32, he’s at the peak of his game, leading the charge for City and Belgium, and there is no reason why he should change his environment to end up with veterans and underachievers.
He has rebuffed previous offers, but we cannot ignore the financial muscle of Saudi clubs.
City will be desperate to hold on to their playmaker and prized asset, who continues to deliver with six assists and two goals in his last eight appearances since returning from a lengthy lay-off.
The Cityzens will try to ward off offers and keep him for at least one more season. However, lucrative offers and growing ambition of Saudi clubs could make this summer very interesting.
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