Kevin De Bruyne (34), known as 'Kim Deok-bae', who is set to leave Manchester City (Man City), is not ruling out the possibility of staying in the Premier League.
'Talksport' reported on the 14th (Korea time) that the Belgium-born De Bruyne, who was expected to transfer to the United States or Saudi Arabia this summer, may still have the possibility of remaining in the Premier League.
De Bruyne officially announced last week that he would leave Man City as a free agent (FA) after this season. However, he is also not ruling out the possibility of remaining in the Premier League.
De Bruyne said, "Honestly, I still don't know. The decision to leave wasn't something I prepared for a long time. I need to talk to the club. After that, I will see which teams want me. Right now, I have no idea at all."
De Bruyne is a legend in the Premier League, as well as at Man City. In the past ten years, he has played for Man City, winning the Premier League six times, the EFL Cup five times, the Football Association (FA) Cup twice, and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League once.
Since joining from Wolfsburg in 2015, he has made 415 appearances, scoring 107 goals and providing 177 assists, becoming a key tactical element for Man City. Pep Guardiola also assessed that "the success we achieved over the past ten years would have been impossible without him."
According to reports, De Bruyne earns about £400,000 per week (approximately 748 million won). This may limit the teams he can move to. Moreover, considering his age, his options may narrow even further.
However, the media reports that De Bruyne could move to Liverpool or Newcastle United. Recently, Liverpool has revealed that it is a club De Bruyne likes.
De Bruyne revealed in a video during his youth that "my favorite team is Liverpool, and my favorite player is Michael Owen."
He is also close with Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. De Bruyne said in 2022, "I know Van Dijk well and see him often. I like that our kids go to the same school and play together. It's just friendly conversation."
Looking at his weekly wages, a move to Newcastle, which has received investments from sovereign wealth funds, is also possible. Newcastle became one of the richest clubs in the world when the Public Investment Fund, operated by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, became the owner in 2021.
Meanwhile, there is also a possibility for De Bruyne to transfer to Major League Soccer (MLS) Inter Miami in the United States. With 'God of Soccer' Lionel Messi (38) playing in Miami, there is interest in whether a meeting of legends may occur.
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