Manchester City Skipper Kevin De Bruyne has made the decision to leave Manchester City to join one of the biggest clubs in world football!
According to 90min, Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne have been identified as the Saudi Pro League’s top targets for this summer.
Following the summer’s big-money signings of Neymar, Fabinho, and Karim Benzema to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, Saudi negotiators are once again hatching plans to try and entice some of Europe’s biggest players to the Middle East.
Twenty primary or ‘elite’ targets are included in a list of almost 100 potential alternatives; Saudi officials want to persuade nearly half of these elite applicants to take the step. In the summer of 2023, the same strategy was used.
Salah and De Bruyne, who 90min understands have been identified as the division’s top targets together, are at the top of the want list.
Within Saudi Arabia, there is a perception that Salah would be amenable to relocating there eventually. The Liverpool star is getting close to the end of his contract, therefore a new approach will be made this summer. However, it is unclear if he would consider leaving Anfield; a decision on a new contract is anticipated later this year.
Salah’s summer move is anticipated in the Middle East / Ryan Pierse/GettyImages
Regarding De Bruyne, his agents have not yet revealed if the Manchester City star would be interested in relocating to Saudi Arabia.
De Bruyne’s current contract expires in2025, therefore City is eager to lock him down to a new one. Manager Pep Guardiola has stated in the open that he wants to keep working with the Belgian.
Guardiola previously remarked, “It’s a question for him; I’d love for him to stay but I’m not sure.” “I’ve heard some links, but I’m not sure if Saudi Arabia wants him or if there’s an offer. Though everyone is everyone, I would really like for him to stay till the conclusion of his career.”
If City entertains an escape, they will likely ask for a price well over £100 million, possibly even closer to the £150 million Liverpool offered for Salah the previous summer.
Salah’s dream in Saudi Arabia would be to sign with Al Hilal and play alongside Neymar (should he stay), Ruben Neves, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Meanwhile, Al Nassr or Al Ittihad, who are both negotiating to sign Manchester United center-back Raphael Varane, would probably target De Bruyne.
To prevent two clubs from bidding against each other, a decision about which club would make the last push for De Bruyne would be made internally in Saudi Arabia.
Guardiola is hoping De Bruyne will agree to a new deal. Photo by James Gill via Danehouse/Getty Images.
Another name to keep an eye on is Thiago Alcantara. A number of Saudi teams, including Al Ettifaq, are considering signing a pre-contract with the Liverpool midfield player.
Keep a watch on some younger names as well, since the quota regulations changed to enable 10 foreigners for the upcoming season, but only two of them need to be born in 2003 or later. Loans will be taken into consideration in order to acquire a higher calibre of potential talent and establish a relationship with elite teams, despite the prevalent desire to purchase.
Liverpool’s injured Ben Doak, Dortmund’s Almugera Kabar, Sampdoria’s Facundo Gonzalez (on loan from Juventus), and Lorient’s Eli Junior Kroupi are all being considered for short-term contracts.
