Revealed: How Lionel Messi could scupper Inter Miami move for Kevin De Bruyne as MLS interest in departing Man City star intensifies

Chicago Fire have expressed interest in signing Kevin De Bruyne when he leaves Manchester City this summer.

Inter Miami hold MLS discovery rights for the mercurial Belgian but their primary concern is renewing the contract of Lionel Messi before they move into a new stadium next year.

De Bruyne has other MLS interest as well as Premier League and Saudi Arabian clubs who would be willing to make offers at the end of next month.

City are looking to freshen up their squad in the summer and lower its average age.

Nottingham Forest‘s Morgan Gibbs-White and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz are high on their agenda to fill the void that will be left by De Bruyne’s departure.

Both Forest and Leverkusen also hold strong interest in City’s James McAtee, as previously revealed by Mail Sport.

The 33-year-old announced he will leave Man City at the end of the season when his deal is up

Inter Miami hold the exclusive right to negotiate with De Bruyne before any other MLS team, but are primarily concerned with negotiating a new contract with Lionel Messi before doing so 

The Germans are understood to have made fresh contact in recent weeks to ascertain City’s plans for the England U21 international.

Wirtz, meanwhile, is also wanted by Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

In February, Bayern chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge announced that his club will target the signing of Wirtz this summer.

He said: ‘Everyone at FC Bayern agrees that he is exactly the player we want to sign. Not to weaken Leverkusen, but to strengthen us.’