Manchester City midfielder reaches ‘verbal understanding’ with Saudi Pro League club – Club ‘open to letting him go’ | OneFootball

A ‘verbal understanding’ is claimed to have been reached by Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne and one club from within the Saudi Pro League.

The Belgium international is approaching the final years of his top level professional football career, and doubts are beginning to grow over whether he will remain at Manchester City for a little longer through an extended contract, or opt for an exit as soon as next summer.

Given his contractual situation at the Etihad Stadium, with his current deal running until the summer of 2025, there has been growing conversation over a possible move to either Major League Soccer in the United States, or the Saudi Pro League.

Those conversations only grew in recent weeks with De Bruyne himself admitting that he would be ‘open’ to discussions over a move to the Middle-East, despite most recently clarifying that he believes he will be a Manchester City player into the upcoming season.

However, despite the expectation being that the iconic Manchester City number 17 will don the Sky Blue shirt for at least another 12 months, a simultaneous report has issued claims of an understanding involving the ambitious Middle-Eastern football division.

According to the information of journalist Rudy Galetti reporting on X, a ‘verbal understanding’ has been reached between Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.

It is claimed that a delegation of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and some representatives of the aforementioned Middle-Eastern club spoke to the Belgium international captain, who gave them his ‘approval’ to the transfer.

However, the fate of De Bruyne is now ‘up to the club’, with the Premier League champions said to be ‘open’ to letting the 33-year-old leave the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City are highly likely to be drafting up contingency plans ahead of an upcoming exit for Kevin De Bruyne, or a reduction in the Belgian’s responsibilities under Pep Guardiola starting rom next season.

Some sources have already pointed towards a growing admiration in Bayern Munich star and Germany international Jamal Musiala as a possible solution to the long-term future without De Bruyne.

Given Musiala’s outstanding performances at the ongoing European Championships in Germany, and Bayern Munich’s clear reluctance to sell this summer, a switch to the Etihad Stadium in the immediate future remains unlikely, but not impossible.

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is another profile attracting admiration from Etihad Stadium recruitment bosses, but again he is likely to remain at the Bundesliga champions into next season and continue working under the highly-rated coach Xabi Alonso.