Where Might Kevin De Bruyne Play Next Season?

Iconic midfielder Kevin De Bruyne broke the collective hearts of every Manchester City supporter around the world on April 4th when he announced that he would be leaving the Etihad Stadium this summer following the expiry of his contract.

Throughout his ten years with the club, KDB has built up a resume unlike anything else, becoming a multiple time Premier League champion and UEFA Champions League winner. Now, however, attention turns to the future.

City's Disastrous Season

For De Bruyne, his City career will finish on an underwhelming note. The Blues have already surrendered their Premier League title, with a recent 2-1 victory against Aston Villa leaving them 18 points behind table-topping Liverpool. As such, the latest football betting talk surrounding the Blues mainly revolves around their quest for a spot in next season's Champions League, with the latest odds making them a 1/5 shot to finish in the top four.

The race for Europe, however, is tighter than ever. City are in third and Aston Villa are separated by just four points, with just a handful of games remaining. As such, websites accepting Premier League bets still suppose that a number of teams have a very realistic chance of finishing fourth or higher, with Nottingham Forest priced at evens and Newcastle priced at 5/4.

For De Bruyne, though, he may not even feature in the Champions League next term, depending on which club he ends up signing for. Here are the contenders looking to secure his signature.

Kevin De Bruyne was "surprised" to be told his Manchester City career was over as he feels he can still perform at the highest level. pic.twitter.com/l2F2YAm2rD
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 20, 2025

MLS

America's MLS used to be the place to be for iconic veterans to strut their stuff one final time before hanging up their boots. The likes of Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Steven Gerrard all ended their career stateside, while Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets all feature in the league today. All three of those aforementioned Barcelona legends play for the same team in Inter Miami, and the Floridian outfit is a top contender to add De Bruyne to their already overflowing amount of superstars.

But the main MLS club that seems to be gaining traction in the hunt for the Belgian is the Chicago Fire. The Windy City outfit has had its fair share of big names over the years, with the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Fredrik Ljungberg, and Nicolas Gaitan all turning out at Soldier Field at one point or another. Is De Bruyne set to be the latest name in that illustrious list?

Elsewhere

Outside of the MLS, there haven't been any major rumours regarding a potential destination for De Bruyne. Saudi Arabia has become a major player in recent times, but there haven't been any rumblings thus far about the Manchester City star's potential arrival.

There have been rumors, however, that KDB could well be off to Turkey to link up with Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce.

Another team rumoured to be interested is Argentinian powerhouse River Plate, with the club looking to bring De Bruyne to Buenos Aires, perhaps even before this summer's FIFA Club World Cup.

It remains to be seen if any of these clubs get a deal for arguably the finest ever Premier League midfielder over the line or whether a new contender will emerge, and only time will tell as to where the Belgian ends up next.

Published by Patrick Jane
01.05.2025