Contract extension eyed by Manchester City superstar despite £100 million exit talk
Manchester City could be targeted for a new contract by one of Pep Guardiola’s first-team stars in the coming months, despite growing interest from Saudi Arabia.
That is the aim of club vice-captain Kevin De Bruyne, who is entering the final year of contract at the end of the ongoing season, with no clear signs of contractual negotiations or an intention to extend from the part of Manchester City to date.
The Belgian’s performances have remained at their exceptionally high standards since he returned to on-field duties following injury in January, with De Bruyne missing the entire first-half of the season following hamstring surgery.
There have been some questions raised about De Bruyne’s ability to sustain top-level performances for much longer however, and that has sparked growing interest from Saudi Arabia over luring him and his family to the Middle-East.
Nevertheless, a new report has pointed towards the stance currently being taken by De Bruyne over his Manchester City future, which could excite many supporters hoping to see the legendary playmaker increase his chances of retiring at the Etihad Stadium.
That is according to the information of TEAMtalk, quoting ‘sources in Manchester’, who report that it is being suggested Kevin De Bruyne may want to continue playing at the top level for ‘a bit longer’ amid ongoing and growing interest from the Saudi Pro League.
De Bruyne’s current Etihad Stadium agreement is set to expire in the summer of 2025, and the latest report claims that the Manchester City vice-captain is ‘keen to sign a new deal’ to extend his stay with the club he first joined in 2015.
However, the report points towards a ‘roadblock to a new deal’ which is ‘similar’ to the one ultimately faced by former Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan, who left for Barcelona on a free transfer following the Treble success.
It is suggested that Manchester City are ‘not too keen’ to offer multi-year contracts to ‘ageing’ players, and as such this is said to be the reason why Saudi Pro League sides believe a deal can be done for Kevin De Bruyne in the not too distant future.
In the background, it is understood that Manchester City are preparing for all eventualities, and are keen on signing a player in De Bruyne’s position, irrespective or whether he opts to move away this summer or at some stage in the future.
City transfer bosses remain attentive to the transfer market and what opportunities there could be to recruit a top-level player to eventually succeed Kevin De Bruyne – either a name ready to come in right away, or one that can be developed over the immediate seasons.
Any incoming signings may however be intrigued by what the future holds for City boss Pep Guardiola, with the Catalan coach himself reaching the end of his current Etihad agreement. Etihad chiefs remain relaxed over discussions with their legendary coach, however.
Revealed: Why Kevin De Bruyne does not start for Manchester City against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League
The reason for Kevin De Bruyne’s absence from the starting side for Manchester City’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg against Real Madrid has been revealed.
The 32-year-old was named amongst the substitutes for Manchester City’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday evening, despite a landmark performance against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
De Bruyne became the 18th player to score 100 Manchester City goals at the weekend, netting twice during a 2-4 comeback win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League.
The Belgian star has made eight starts for Pep Guardiola’s side since returning from hamstring surgery in January, with the midfielder scoring on his first Champions League appearance of the season against FC Copenhagen in the last-16 in February.
The midfielder scored during a crucial 1-1 draw in the semi-final first-leg at the Santiago Bernabéu last season, but doesn’t start Tuesday’s quarter-final clash against the La Liga heavyweights.
De Bruyne was named amongst the Manchester City substitutes due to being ‘unwell’ according to numerous journalists, with reputable team news source FPLMaineRoad on X, claiming that the midfielder was initially expected to start in the Spanish capital.
Manchester City and Real Madrid are meeting in the competition for the third consecutive season in the UEFA Champions League, and the winners of the quarter-final tie will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals
The Sky Blues are unbeaten in Europe since a last-gasp loss to Real Madrid in May 2022, and are also currently on a 25-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Speaking pre-match, Guardiola confirmed De Bruyne’s absence due to illness, saying: “Vomits. (Pardon?) Vomits… He feels unwell. (Can he play?) I don’t know. We made a meeting, he was ready, and when we arrived, in the locker room he started to vomit, and he said, ‘I’m not ready’.
Real Madrid Team News
Starting XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Mendy; Camavinga, Valverde, Kroos; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr.
Substitutes: Kepa, Fran, Militao, Nacho, Modric, Joselu, Lucas V., Ceballos, Fran Garcia, Brahim, Guler.
Manchester City Team News
Starting XI: Ortega Moreno, Akanji, Stones, Dias (C), Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Haaland.
Substitutes: Ederson, Carson, D
oku, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Gomez, Nunes, Bobb, Susoho, Lewis.
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