Premier League: Kevin De Bruyne on his way out?

Al-Ittihad has reportedly abandoned its plan to transfer Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, despite having reached a personal agreement. The 33-year-old playmaker is in the final 12 months of his contract at Etihad Stadium. With no extension agreed upon to date, the Belgian international has drawn interest from teams in the cash-rich Saudi Pro League.

Al-Ittihad, which already boasts Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté, and Fabinho in its squad, aimed to acquire De Bruyne, a modern-day star. A lucrative offer was put forward and deemed acceptable by the six-time Premier League champion.

However, transfer expert Rudy Galetti claims that Al-Ittihad withdrew after being discouraged by City’s price demands. An offer of £25 million was rejected, with previous reports suggesting that the Blues were holding out for a sum closer to £50 million ($64 million).

Having already recruited Houssem Aouar, Al-Ittihad believes it has enough quality options in midfield to manage for now. De Bruyne might come back into consideration in 2025 if he continues to approach free agency.

Pascal Amstrong