Fabrizio Romano claims Manchester City star rejected Saudi offers

Many players in Europe’s top leagues switched to Saudi Arabia this season. The big four in the Saudi Pro League, Al Ittihad, Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli, hoarded most of the talent. Other clubs joined in on the spending, though. Al Shabab added Yannick Carrasco, while Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq signed Demarai Gray, Jordan Henderson and Moussa Dembele. While plenty of aging stars were eager to join the league, players such as Son Heung-min and Lionel Messi were believed to have rejected the chance to move to Saudi Arabia. A new report suggests a big name from Manchester City rejected offers to join the Saudi Pro League.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed on his YouTube channel that at the beginning of the past summer transfer window, Saudi Pro League clubs were trying to get in contact with Kevin De Bruyne to bring the player to Saudi Arabia. Romano states that the Belgian midfielder swiftly rejected the chance to join as he wants to continue playing in Europe and winning trophies in Europe. Given his importance to the club, Manchester City would have likely commanded a gargantuan transfer fee for De Bruyne should he have pushed to join the Saudi Pro League. At 32 years old, he is arguably the best playmaker in the world.

De Bruyne has just two years left on his current contract at City, but there is likely no rush to get an extension signed. He’s become a legend for the club, and it feels as though the most likely scenario is that he will stay beyond 2025. He could follow the same tracks as former City and Belgium NT teammate, Vincent Kompany, and return home to his country to finish off his career. For De Bruyne, it would mean a return to Genk, where he played 96 matches before his switch to Chelsea in 2012.