Without a doubt, Kevin De Bruyne is one of, if not the best, midfielders in the game at the moment. The Belgian has transitioned into a world-class playmaker, as evidenced by his partnership with Erling Haaland in City’s treble-winning campaign last season.
The Manchester City captain hasn’t made an impact this season, as he sustained an injury in the club’s first Premier League game of the season against Burnley. In a shocking revelation coming from the Middle East, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr is reportedly plotting a move for the Belgian, which will see him link up with ex-City teammate Aymeric Laporte.
Is Kevin De Bruyne going to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr?
When Cristiano Ronaldo announced that he would be moving to Saudi Arabia following the termination of his contract at Manchester United, it was one of the most bizarre transfer deals in recent memory. The Portuguese star predicted that he would soon be joined by some of the world’s biggest stars. Ten months later, the Saudi Pro League is now home to two different Ballon d’Or winners and several other world stars, including Neymar.
According to The Sun, Kevin De Bruyne may be the next world soccer star to play in the Saudi Pro League and could be playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. The former Chelsea man enters the final year of his contract in the summer of 2024, making it easier for Al-Nassr to negotiate a deal with City to transfer their star playmaker.
City are playing the waiting game with De Bruyne and are reluctant to offer him a new contract due to his recent injury woes. This may also be a key factor if any deal with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr is possible. Although not naturally an injury-prone player, De Bruyne’s recent injury troubles have been worrying, which makes it unsurprising that Al-Nassr may be considering a move for him soon.
Cristiano Ronaldo would benefit the most from a Kevin De Bruyne partnership as he will continue to add to his goal tally, which has already seen him become the highest goalscorer in 2023.
When will Kevin De Bruyne return from injury?
Kevin De Bruyne limped off in the Champions League final against Inter Milan at the end of last season. This was the start of the Belgian’s injury woes. He miraculously recovered ahead of schedule and featured in City’s first Premier League game against Burnley, only to suffer a recurring injury that has kept him out since then.
Pep Guardiola admitted that he may have rushed De Bruyne back too soon, contributing to the injury. The two-time treble-winning manager has also hinted that De Bruyne may not make his return to football until 2024, with the injury keeping him away for almost half of the season.
With reports tying De Bruyne to the Al-Nassr move, City have set their sights on a 20-year-old Bayern Munich star as his replacement.
Will we see Kevin De Bruyne partner with Cristiano Ronaldo? Tell us your predictions in the comments.
