Replacing Kevin De Bruyne should be a Priority for Manchester City this Summer
Replacing Kevin De Bruyne should be a Priority for Manchester City this Summer
The argument can be made that Kevin De Bruyne is irreplaceable. Such is his quality and drive for success that finding a player of his calibre will be an arduous task. In fact, it’s doubtful if there’s any player of his quality in his position currently in world football.
But no player is indispensable. And if a younger De Bruyne cannot be found, Manchester City must find the next best thing to the Belgian. And the time to prioritise finding a similar player is now.
For one, he is now 33 years old. Secondly, the player has only one year left on his current deal with the club. Even if he gets to wind down the contract, this will most likely be his last year at City as he is already considering a move elsewhere. The temptation to make big money in Saudi Arabia is massive and the Belgian has revealed he is open to a move.
He made it clear in an interview while preparing for the European Championships with the Belgian national team earlier this month.
‘I still have one year left on my contract, so I have to think about what could happen,’ he said to Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.
‘My eldest is now eight years old and knows nothing but England. He also asks how long I will play for City. Once the moment comes, we will have to deal with it in a certain way.
‘At my age, you have to be open to everything. You’re talking about incredible amounts of money in what may be the end of my career. Sometimes you have to think about that.’
Clearly, the midfielder is weighing his options at the moment. Once a suitable deal comes through, he will be off. At this point, City will not stand in his way to move. With just a year left on his contract, the club can still get a fee for his transfer.
If he stays for another year, he will leave for free. So a deal this summer will be favourable for all parties.
City’s concern at this point should be to find a suitable replacement to fill the void the Belgian will leave behind.