Manchester City have already identified their ideal replacement for Kevin De Bruyne should he move to the Saudi Pro League this summer.
With his contract due to expire in 2025, De Bruyne’s future at City is up in the air and he has been heavily linked with a move Saudi.
Al Ittihad, who won the league last season and have just appointed Laurent Blanc as manager, are desperate to bring in the Belgium captain as their next big marquee signing.
They are also keen on City goalkeeper Ederson, with the Premier League champions looking for a fee of around £50 million.
Reports that De Bruyne had agreed personal terms with Al Ittihad are believed to be wide of the mark but the club are pushing hard to sign him.
And according to The Mirror, City already have a successor in mind in the event De Bruyne departs.
It’s claimed that City are contemplating a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.
Eze’s name has been thrown around as a target for City in recent times, with Spurs also known admirers.
Despite struggling with injuries, Eze ended last season with 11 goals and four assists – shining in a strong end to the campaign under Oliver Glasner.
He also had some impressive cameos at Euro 2024 with England and City like his ability to play in multiple positions.
Eze still has three years on his deal, which also contains a release clause of £60 million plus further add-ons.
With Michael Olise moving to Bayern Munich in a big-money move, Palace will not let another one of their prized assets leave on the cheap.
Al Ittihad have just wrapped up a deal for Aston Villa winger Moussa Diaby and De Bruyne has already admitted the mega riches of Saudi would be difficult to turn down.
Speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws, De Bruyne said: “At my age you have to be open to everything. You’re talking about incredible amounts of money in what may be the end of my career. Sometimes you have to think about that.
“If I play there for two years, I will be able to earn an incredible amount of money. “Before that I had to play football for 15 years. I may not even reach that amount yet. Then you have to think about what that could mean next. But at the moment I haven’t had to think about that yet.”
De Bruyne joined City in 2015 from Wolfsburg and has won 15 trophies, scoring 102 goals and registering 170 assists to become one of the club’s greatest players.
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Topics: Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne, Crystal Palace, Saudi Pro League, Saudi Arabia