Manchester City to demand 383-appearance club legend takes PAY CUT in contract discussions

Premier League champions Manchester City will reportedly demand a pay-cut from Kevin De Bruyne as part of discussions and negotiations over a new contract.

The Belgium international captain is into his final year of contract at the Etihad Stadium this season, and is widely understood to have snubbed admiration from the Saudi Pro League hoping to take advantage of his situation.

The ever-ambitious Middle-Eastern football league hold a firm desire to continue recruiting the biggest names from the European game, and viewed De Bruyne as being one player who could potentially have a transformational impact on their global audience.

However, De Bruyne remains keen on competing at the very highest level, and there is a simultaneous view that Saudi Arabia may not appeal to him and his young family, despite the player recently admitting that the money on offer could be too good to turn down.

Manchester City continue to view De Bruyne as an integral part of Pep Guardiola’s first-team plans however, and there is a stance taken by Etihad Stadium officials to tie the player down to a new contract and potentially see him retire with the club.

However, according to the information of The Mirror’s Simon Mullock, whilst City are planning to discuss Kevin De Bruyne’s future, the Belgian will have to take a pay-cut on his basic salary and accept a bonus-loaded deal if he is to remain at the Etihad Stadium.

The report continues by explaining that while De Bruyne remains Pep Guardiola’s number one choice playmaker, the 33-year-old will have to decide whether to take City’s offer or earn a fortune in Saudi Arabia, whilst City Football Group’s New York City are also admirers.

Major League Soccer have long been viewed as the more likely career finale for Kevin De Bruyne, with a number of clubs including the aforementioned sister side of Manchester City tipped as likely destinations.

It was reported earlier this year that De Bruyne’s representatives held a conversation with San Diego FC, with the California city viewed as a place he would consider if he were to play in the United States at some stage of his football career.

Manchester City will no doubt already be planning for life without Kevin De Bruyne in the coming seasons, having identified the likes of Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz as possible candidates to take over in his role.