Report: ‘Sublime’ £55m Man City player rejected summer Saudi Arabia approaches

Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne turned down the chance to move to the Saudi Pro League in January.

A plethora of celebrated European names were seduced by Middle Eastern riches this summer, with Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr – four clubs owned by the Public Investment Fund – splashing the cash.

The likes of Neymar, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho, Sadio Mane and Gabri Veiga left the Champions League behind to compete in Saudi Arabia, where five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo also plies his trade.

Al-Shabab and Al Ettifaq also made some notable acquisitions, with the former bringing in Yannick Carrasco and Habib Diallo, while Jordan Henderson, Demarai Gray, Moussa Dembele and Georginio Wijnaldum joined Steven Gerrard’s team.

Man City allowed both Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez to join Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli respectively.

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Saudi Pro League also pushed to bring De Bruyne to the Middle East for the twilight of his careers, and “several” approaches were made.

However, De Bruyne made it clear that he only wanted to remain at Man City turning his nose up to a mammoth payday in Saudi Arabia to continue in Manchester.

De Bruyne’s most recent Man City contract extension came back in the summer of 2021, though, and the 32-year-old only has two years left to run on his current deal, by which point he will be 34.

The Sun reported about the Belgian yesterday, and reckon that he is set to finish is career at City.

They say that he doesn’t have any interest whatsoever in making a move to Saudi Arabia.

It would be amazing to see the ‘sublime’ De Bruyne finishing his playing career at Man City.

Most fans probably just wouldn’t want to see him playing in another shirt, even if that shirt was his first club Genk.

It just feels ‘right’ that De Bruyne could see out his playing career at City.