Kevin De Bruyne appears to have given Arsenal a potentially significant Premier League title boost by making a big transfer decision. The Belgium international has spent nearly a decade playing football at Etihad Stadium, but that could end sooner than imagined.
Over the last few years, De Bruyne has been linked with a departure from Manchester City, with a high-profile transfer to Saudi Arabia being discussed. The 33-year-old’s current deal expires in 2025, and it’s uncertain whether he’ll sign an extension.
However, it appears that clarification has been offered on his future, with sources in Italy stating he has agreed to personal terms with Al-Ittihad. De Bruyne has previously expressed a desire to play football in the Middle East while debating his future at Manchester City.
“At my age you have to be open to everything,” he admitted recently to Dutch outlet HLN. “You’re talking about incredible amounts of money in what may be the end of my career.
“Sometimes you have to think about that. If I play there [Saudi Arabia] for two years, I will be able to earn an incredible amount of money. Before that I had to play football for 15 years.
“I may not even reach that amount yet. Then you have to think about what that could mean next. But at the moment I haven’t had to think about that yet.” De Bruyne sealing a Man City transfer would be a killer blow to Pep Guardiola as he has been at the core of the club’s stunning success over the last nine years.
Losing De Bruyne this summer, even if for a price, would be a blow to Guardiola as he strives to win a fifth consecutive Premier League title in what is expected to be his final season as manager of the club. However, De Bruyne’s departure for Saudi Arabia would be welcome news for Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta strives to break Guardiola’s stranglehold on domestic football in recent years.
Phil Foden, who was frequently favored to De Bruyne last season, is more than capable of filling the role, but a loss of such a character would be noticeable within Manchester City.