Realistic Transfer Landing Spots for Kevin De Bruyne amid Rumors

In an emotional Instagram post on April 4, Kevin De Bruyne announced he will leave Manchester City at the end of the 2024-25 season after 10 years with the club.

A midfielder once deemed not good enough for Chelsea will depart the Premier League as one of the finest players to ever grace the division. 

The Belgian won every trophy possible with the Citizens, including six Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League. He could still add an FA Cup winner's medal to the two he already has. 

De Bruyne has grabbed a host of individual honors during his time at the Etihad Stadium, which boasts a statue of the club legend outside. He's earned the Premier League Player of the Season award twice (2019-20, 2021-22) and picked up back-to-back PFA Players' Player of the Year trophies (2019-20, 2020-21). 

He also has the second-most assists in Premier League history (118), sitting behind only Ryan Giggs (162). With a possible seven games left to play, he's still managed that in 351 fewer appearances than the Welshman. 

Now, at 33 years old, De Bruyne is looking for a new challenge and possibly one last big contract before the end of a remarkable career.

Read on for a selection of clubs that would jump at the chance to land the classy playmaker on a free transfer.

MLS contract rules make picking a landing spot a little tricky, but NYCFC and Inter Miami stand out as likely options. 

NYCFC is an affiliate club of Manchester City, meaning internal discussion might already be taking place for the Belgian to head to the Big Apple.

The club hasn't really had a big-name star since David Villa's departure in 2018, so it's about time they brought in a glamorous signing.

Inter Miami, meanwhile, are no strangers to snagging players who once fit the category of "world class." But the contracts of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba are expiring in 2025, meaning there might be some financial wiggle room to get De Bruyne on board.

According to ESPN, Inter Miami also hold discovery rights for the playmaker, meaning they can make the first move in contract discussions over any other MLS club. 

There are other options, of course, including the expansion side San Diego FC, but out of all the possible teams that could persuade De Bruyne, the teams at opposite ends of the East Coast seem the most likely.

Serie A is well-known as a league that generally embraces a slower pace of play. That's why players like Andrea Pirlo, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Luca Toni and Fabio Quagliarella were still putting up good numbers even as they approached their 40th birthday.

De Bruyne has a checkered injury history, too, so the less demanding nature of the Italian league could help him extend his career for another few seasons. 

His playmaking prowess would be a glorious fit in Italy, too. In a nation that has an incredible art history, his brush-like strokes when spraying the ball across the pitch will be greeted with gusto.

Internazionale or Napoli would be sensible picks since they are nearly guaranteed Champions League football next season and are way ahead of the chasing domestic pack at the moment, offering De Bruyne the best chance of adding to his trophy cabinet. 

But the history and prestige of Juventus and Milan will be tough to ignore, too, and either would be more than grateful to snag a player of his undoubted talents after lackluster seasons. 

De Bruyne would be spoiled for choice in Italy, but perhaps comparatively lower contract offers than elsewhere might be the stumbling block.

On the subject of eye-popping contract offers, the Saudi Pro League will certainly come knocking soon.

De Bruyne has opened the door for a big payday in the Middle East, telling Het Laatste Nieuws in June 2024 (h/t Yahoo): "Saudi? At my age you have to be open to everything. If I play there for two years, I will be able to earn an incredible amount of money."

He's got a few former teammates in Saudi Arabia, too, with Riyad Mahrez, João Cancelo and Aymeric Laporte suiting up for Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, respectively.

Really, it just depends on whether De Bruyne wants one more crack at a top European club before cashing in. While the Saudi league certainly has the money, it doesn't quite offer the prestige or football history that will be a pull factor from other prospective suitors. 

European football? Check. Decent wages? Check? An obsessive football culture? Triple check. 

The Turkish Süper Lig remains a huge draw for players approaching the end of their careers, and it's not difficult to see why. 

The atmosphere in the nation's stadiums is always electric, especially at Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. While other clubs, like Besiktas and İstanbul Başakşehir, might throw their hats in the ring in more hope than expectation, it's more likely to be at the first two where De Bruyne will turn up if he's tempted.

Former Manchester City forward Edin Džeko (who De Bruyne never played with in a blue shirt) is still scoring in bunches for Fener even at the age of 39, perhaps suggesting De Bruyne could enjoy a good amount of success in the Super Lig.

De Bruyne's senior career started at Genk in his home country. He spent four seasons with the club, making 113 appearances, scoring 17 goals and creating 36 assists.

That was enough to convince Chelsea to drop around $9 million (£6.7 million) to acquire his services in 2012, although the transfer famously failed to work out for the Blues.

Perhaps ending his playing career by going full circle would be tempting for De Bruyne. The club are top in the Belgian Pro League's Championship Round, meaning a return to Champions League football for the first time since 2019 looks entirely likely.

Having De Bruyne leading the charge would be huge for the club, and the 33-year-old would love to bring more silverware to the team that put him on the path to an incredible career.

It might be just a little too soon to make the move, since he's arguably still at a higher level, but it wouldn't be a surprise if it was at least a consideration.