One of the biggest names in European soccer is entering the final part of his career. Will it end in Saudi Arabia? That’s an option for Kevin De Bruyne
Around three weeks before his 33rd birthday, a good twelve months before the end of his contract at Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne has spoken plainly. His interview with Romelu Lukaku in the Belgian daily newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws made an immediate impression. Because of the topic of Saudi Arabia.
The midfielder, who won the treble with the Sky Blues in 2023 and recently celebrated his fourth consecutive English championship – a first – openly admitted shortly before the European Championship that he was considering a move to the hugely lucrative desert.
“My contract runs for another year, so I have to think about what could happen,” said De Bruyne after a season in which he missed large parts due to injury. The Belgian only played 18 of a possible 38 league games. “These are discussions that we are increasingly having,” said the former Bremen and Wolfsburg player. So mainly his wife and him
“If I play there for two years … “
“An exotic adventure is fine for Michele,” said De Bruyne in reference to the financially extremely attractive Saudi Professional League, which has long since attracted various world footballing greats. Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, for example. However, these players are said to have said goodbye to a great career by moving to the desert state.
“At my age, you have to be open to everything,” said De Bruyne, who has actually achieved everything at club level. “Incredible sums of money towards the end of my career” are keeping the world-class player busy. “If I play there for two years, I can earn an incredible amount of money. So far, I’ve had to play for 15 years and still might not reach that amount,” mused the 99-time Belgian international.
At the start of the 2025/26 season, the first season after the end of his current contract, De Bruyne would be just 34 years old.
