Revealed: The club Man City will consider offering Kevin de Bruyne to – as speculation mounts over star’s future with his contract up at the end of the season

Kevin de Bruyne‘s Manchester City deal expires at the end of the season and, when the star eventually moves on, the club have a firm idea of where they would like him to head off to. 

The Belgian moved to the Etihad in 2015 from Wolfsburg in a transfer worth £54million and he has since becoming a City legend, playing 394 matches for the side and winning 14 major trophies, including six league titles and a Champions League.

In that time, the midfielder has made 116 assists in the Premier League, the second most in the competition’s history behind Man United‘s Ryan Giggs, who played 632 games across a 22-year career.

De Bruyne’s recent form has been mixed, echoing that of his team, with the 33-year-old struggling for fitness and looking a yard off the pace in some games.

He quashed rumours that he had fallen out with manager Pep Guardiola with an inspired display against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, however, which saw him provide a goal and yet another assist in a 3-0 victory which ended City’s seven-game winless run.

With his contract up in the summer, speculation has been mounting over de Bruyne’s future and the Cityzens are willing to offer the star to one of their sister clubs when he leaves, the Telegraph reports. 

The midfielder put in a timely performance against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night

His manager Pep Guardiola had reiterated before the game that the pair had a good relationship

City Football Group (CFG), who took over the Manchester side in 2008, features a number of football teams in their stable, including Melbourne City, New York City, Troyes, Girona and Palermo.

De Bruyne might end up agreeing a deal to remain at the Etihad but the option of a switch to another side in the group remains firmly on the table. 

City reportedly prefer this outcome to him heading away from the CFG circuit, given his vast contribution to the club and the group in his nine years in Manchester.

But de Bruyne will be free to talk to other teams in just four weeks time, when the January transfer window opens, and he has inevitably received interest from far and wide. 

Clubs from the Saudi Pro League as well as from the United States are keeping tabs on the playmaker, with his affiliation with US company Roc Nation for commercial work possibly set to give American sides an edge in securing his services.

De Bruyne served up yet another reminder of his quality in City’s comfortable 3-0 win over Forest on Wednesday, sparing Guardiola the blushes of an eight-game winless run. 

He delivered a man-of-the-match display, setting up the opener and scoring one for himself later in the first-half at the Etihad.

After the match, his manager heaped praise on the star who has been at the club ever since his arrival in 2016.

Man City want to keep him within CFG meaning de Bruyne could end up at Melbourne City

The group’s stable of clubs is a large one and also features New York City FC

Pundits including Gary Neville had suggested De Bruyne may have fallen out with Guardiola 

‘I’m so happy for him,’ Guardiola said. ‘When he’s fit, he’s so important for us. We needed it (the win). The club needed it. The players needed it. Everyone needed to win but it is just one win.’ 

It comes after the Spaniard hit back at claims he had fallen out with de Bruyne, made by the Rest is Football hosts Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, as well as Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville.

He said: ‘People say I’ve got a problem with Kevin. Do you think I like to not play with Kevin?’ 

Guardiola continued sarcastically: ‘No, I don’t want Kevin to play. The guy who has the most talent in the final third. I don’t want it. I have a personal problem with him after nine years together.’