There are some fans who might find a hint of irony in the idea that Manchester City‘s crowning jewel could be lured away by the promise of riches elsewhere.
City have long been something of a cash-rich bogeyman for clubs lower down the ladder, scared that the Premier League‘s dominant force might turn their gaze to their most-prized talents and opening up their enviable coffers.
That theory more than overlooks the unbelievable wealth of coaching talent, infrastructure, culture and growing history in recent years, but there is no denying that most clubs struggle to compete with the Citizens.
Therefore the notion that Kevin de Bruyne might pursue a move to the Saudi Pro League for ‘incredible money’ might elicit a smirk or two.
It shouldn’t really come as a surprise either. We said last summer that Saudi Arabia would struggle to lure players across the Mediterranean Sea with the promise of riches alone, and look what happened.
Kevin De Bruyne has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League this summer
De Bruyne claimed he’s had conversations over ‘an exotic adventure’ with wife Michele
The midfielder has already admitted that his eldest son (centre) knows ‘nothing but England’
Neymar, Riyad Mahrez, Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic – genuine top Champions League players all made the switch. Would De Bruyne really be a shock addition?
City of course have plenty of money – the Belgian is already on around £1.73m-a-month – but they also have a structure in place; De Bruyne might be at the top of that structure, but it is a difficult ecosystem to change just for one player.
If the club were to allow one player a pay rise to compete with what he might be offered by Al-Ittihad, you can imagine there might be a few knocks on the manager’s door asking for something similar. So yes, there is money, but there is also a dressing-room to manage.
That is by-the-by, though. The real question is why would De Bruyne want to go to Al-Ittihad, if he is more or less at the top of the football pyramid as the star in the best side on the planet.
There are two elements to this question; his playing career and his personal life. Let’s deal with the former first, and find out if he still is the crown jewel of Guardiola’s crown.
De Bruyne is a generational talent, arguably one of the finest attacking midfielders of all-time and one of the Premier League’s greatest ever players.
At his peak, he was regularly hitting double figures for both goals and assists in the league alone – his best tally came in 2019-20 with 13 goals and 20 assists – and he only had to look at a pitch for a split-second to map out the entire game. He was unplayable, and the closest thing we ever got to seeing Lionel Messi on these shores.
But the key word there is ‘peak’. At 33 heading into the 2024-25 season, his peak is either fast diminishing or already over. That’s not to say that his passing ability is waning, or his dead ball ability failing at all, but it is a simple fact of biology. He will likely only deteriorate physically from here on in.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first genuine Champions League-quality star to make the switch
Neymar (centre) moved to Saudi Arabia last summer as part of a huge exodus of talent from Europe
De Bruyne was again crowned a king of England last term after City beat Arsenal to the title
You might point at Cristiano Ronaldo as a potential example to follow and how he has maintained his physicality and is continuing to thrive in the Saudi Pro League.
True, he’s a fine specimen and a great role-model for staying at peak fitness in your later career, but watch any of Portugal’s outings at the Euros, and the idea that translates to world-beating form and ability comes tumbling down.
In Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo is able to feel like the footballing god he once was, scoring 35 goals in 31 games last term, even though he simply would not be able to compete at the same level in Europe. Perhaps De Bruyne might want something similar?
With Phil Foden now hurtling towards his own prime at an alarming rate, Bernardo Silva still the world’s most underrated player, and Rodri marshalling the midfield, City managed to win the league with De Bruyne starting fewer than half the games.
Perhaps City might be all right without the Belgian should he decide to leave. Make no mistake, they are not better off without him at all, but they still have a side that can win a league if he should decide to leave.
Rodri is arguably the most important midfielder at the club, while Foden is the future of the club and Erling Haaland is, well, Erling Haaland. There are now other players on whom the pressure can lie, not that the Belgian doesn’t still shoulder some of it himself.
I will keep underlining it, but De Bruyne is a truly unbelievable footballer. However there is an argument that he is already on the decline – not because of his abilities, but his body letting him down, unable to live up to the quality player he is.
Last season the Belgian missed 41 games for club and country – that simply isn’t good enough for a team looking to play around 70 games a season these days. Your best player can’t be someone you struggle to get on the pitch.
Rodri is now arguably the most important player at Manchester City at the heart of midfield
Phil Foden represents the future of Man City and was the star of the show when De Bruyne was absent last season
Erling Haaland shattered record after record since his seismic start to life in English football
The previous season he was forced off in the Champions League final – the most important game in City’s history – with an injury. Since joining City he has suffered 12 muscular problems – including four hamstring injuries which we all know usually continue to plague a career with regularity.
Like Ronaldo, De Bruyne struggled at the Euros and was unable to inspire a last great hurrah out of Belgian’s quickly tarnishing Golden Era. It feels – and I would be very happy to be proven wrong – that this great midfielder’s career is beginning its descent from the top.
Sadly, the numbers back this up. 2019-20 was in many ways the gold standard of any player’s career, and his numbers have fallen some way short since then. It would be harsh to compare that to his most recent campaign, in which he struggled with fitness, so for argument’s sake let’s run a comparison with 2022-23.
The fact remains that even two campaigns ago he was down in terms of minutes (2798 vs 2425), tackles per 90 (1.45 vs 1), interceptions per 90 (0.58 vs 0.33), duels won (4.44 vs 3.93) and distance covered per 90 (11.4km vs 10.9km), compared to 2019-20.
Granted, positionally Guardiola has tweaked his system so De Bruyne stays a little higher up the field where he is at his most lethal, and he was actually more successful in the duel in 2022-23 than 2019-20 (48.6 per cent success vs 47.4), but there are signs that a drop-off is fast approaching. Numbers never tell the whole picture, but they do at least hint at part of one.
And then there is his personal life; what impact would a move to Saudi Arabia have on his life, and why would he be keen to undertake such a shake-up?
The chance to live in a new country, explore a new culture and experience a way of life different to your own is one that most people take up with relish, and rightly so.
Travelling the world is a well-trodden path to personal enrichment and development, and the opportunity to do so for a footballer should not be under-stated. De Bruyne has already noted that his son ‘knows nothing but England’, perhaps he wants his children to have greater experience of the world.
Pep Guardiola made tweaks to his system over the years moving De Bruyne further up the field
Wife Michele (pictured) has already said that she is open to a move for an ‘exotic adventure’
Likewise, De Bruyne has won it all at club level. Champions League, Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield, PFA Player of the Year – what else really is there? Europa Conference League? I don’t fancy his chances of that one at City.
Footballers need motivation, and for a very long time it will have been the Champions League, then it was breaking United’s record of three Premier Leagues on the bounce, but both of those are now done. Saudi Arabia would present a brand new challenge, and the chance at further honours to add to his mantelpiece.
One great motivator as we all know is money. Remove all cynical thoughts, and try to understand where De Bruyne is coming from. He, as a father and a husband, wants to provide his family with the best possible future, whether that should come at the detriment of his own career, as all parents do.
He has said that the money he could earn in Saudi Arabia is hard to ignore, and if he could earn a living that sets up his children, and potentially their children for life, why should he not take that option? It is his right to do just that, and far be it from anyone else to tell him how to live his life.
He is already believed to have talked things through with his wife Michele Lacroix, who is said to be receptive to an ‘exotic adventure’, which will embolden suitors to put forward an offer too good to refuse.
However, footballers’ partners in Saudi Arabia have previously revealed the difficulties they have faced on moving to the country.
Earlier this year, a number opened up to MailOnline about how they struggled with the Saudi culture, revealing their paranoia about going out in public, anxiety about how to dress and feeling even threatened if they relax and become ‘too Western’.
One said: ‘It’s very hard for expat women in Saudi Arabia, especially if the locals feel that you are not dressed properly. On one occasion I was shouted at just because my shoulders and part of my legs were showing.
De Bruyne could earn himself even further honours to add to his bulging trophy cabinet in Saudi Arabia
De Bruyne’s numbers have fallen some way in the years since his career-best campaign in 2019-20
‘We’re not allowed to wear shorts in public, despite the heat. You can’t even wear them on the beach. And if you do, people look at you as if they hate you. It can be very intimidating.’
Sports director of the Pro League, Michael Emenalo, attended one of Man City’s training sessions during the Club World Cup before Christmas and was keeping a close eye on De Bruyne.
Emenalo signed De Bruyne at Chelsea from Genk in 2012 and would again be required to play a big role if the Belgian was lured away from the Premier League champions.
De Bruyne has already seen former team-mates Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte swap City for Saudi Arabia, while there is interest from the Pro League in City goalkeeper Ederson this summer, too.
The Saudi Pro League are keen to bring in players still operating at a high level, rather than those to have already fallen, and there’s no denying that De Bruyne is still doing just that.
The only thing is his level is showing early signs of a drop that is only expected of a player entering their 34th year, and with one year left on his deal, maybe City might want to cash in on their best ever player rather than let him go for free.
The playing side of things is half the battle, but it seems as though wife Michele being receptive to a change of scene is a big coup for the Saudi Pro League in the pursuit of one of their biggest transfer swoops so far.
The money that De Bruyne could earn in Saudi Arabia could be life-changing for his family
The 33-year-old recently admitted he would be open to a move to the Saudi Pro League
Ultimately, a decision must be made by the De Bruyne family over where they see their future; De Bruyne is 33 now and only realistically has one more big payday left in his career.
Will the midfielder be happy to fight for his role as the team’s best player at City, and maybe start to sit out the odd game he wouldn’t have before, or will he start to look further afield for new opportunities, adventures and experiences?
