Club owner offers Kevin De Bruyne business ‘mentorship’ as part of ambitious transfer proposal | OneFootball

Kevin De Bruyne has been offered a direct route into a post-playing business career through one club owner during talks over his next club, according to reports.

The Belgium international bid an emotional farewell to the Etihad Stadium earlier this week following his final appearance for Manchester City in front of their home supporters, as he and the squad continued their pursuit of UEFA Champions League football next season.

That pursuit saw City record a crucial 3-1 home win over Bournemouth on Tuesday night, taking them to within just one point of guaranteeing a place at the summit of European football next season, with Fulham away from home the final clash of the campaign.

Kevin De Bruyne’s future beyond the Etihad Stadium remains uncertain at present, although some reports have already indicated that the player has no desire to join one of Manchester City’s direct rivals within the English game.

That will likely come as a huge sigh of relief to many within the club and certainly their supporters, after it was mooted in some quarters that the likes of Liverpool and Aston Villa could make an ambitious approach for the 33-year-old.

That leaves the usual suspects as the more realistic next destinations for the player, as a move to the United States and Italy emerge as leading candidates with fresh details surfacing on both possibilities this week.

According to the information of BBC Sport’s Nizaar Kinsella, The Chicago Fire have offered Kevin De Bruyne a ‘competitive package’ and the chance to be their ‘flagship talent’, with special terms on offer from the club’s owner directly.

It is claimed that Joe Mansueto has personally pitched to De Bruyne and is keen to offer the move to Major League Soccer with mentoring for an ‘entrepreneurial post-playing career in the business world’.

In an additional step taken by The Chicago Fire towards signing the City creator, it is stated the MLS side have also taken Inter Miami’s option to sign him on a ‘discovery list’, meaning no other US-based club can sign the midfielder without paying a fee to the Illinois club.

With Kevin De Bruyne’s family life set to play a major role in his thinking over the next club, the report reveals that Chicago is seen as an ‘attractive offer in terms of lifestyle’, as such ruling out the idea of Saudi Arabia.

Over in European competition and Napoli are said to be the ‘strongest option’ for the veteran midfielder, who still considers himself capable of performing at the highest level and privately holds disappointment that City never offered a contract extension.

One other uncertainty that continues to linger in the background aside from De Bruyne’s next club is the midfielder’s availability for Manchester City at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, with his contract expiring midway through the expanded competition.

However, the feeling from the side of the player is that there is a stronger chance he will not feature at the tournament, pointing towards the risk of sustaining an injury that could have a detrimental effect on his playing career beyond the Etihad Stadium.

“I have to take care of myself because if I get injured in the Club World Cup, what am I going to do? Nobody’s going to take care of me at that point,” De Bruyne told a recent interview. “So there’s a big chance probably I won’t play it,” he added.

As such, Kevin De Bruyne’s final game for Manchester City could come as soon as this Sunday afternoon, when Pep Guardiola’s players travel to Craven Cottage for a meeting with Fulham on the final day of the Premier League season.