Free agent De Bruyne still a risk

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Europe’s elite clubs want De Bruyne’s magic, but his £400k wages and injury history are tough to justify on a free, writes Dylan Johnson.

After a decade of excellence at Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne is set to walk away from the club as a free agent in June 2025. On paper, it sounds like a dream opportunity—one of the game’s best creators suddenly available without a transfer fee. But for Europe’s elite clubs, the reality is far more complicated.

De Bruyne’s CV is unmatched in modern Premier League history. Since arriving at City in 2015 from Wolfsburg, he has played a pivotal role in the club’s rise under Pep Guardiola. In that time, he has won six Premier League titles, five League Cups, two FA Cups, and delivered City’s first-ever UEFA Champions League crown in 2022/23. He leaves the Etihad having contributed over 100 goals and 170 assists, numbers that cement his legacy as one of the best midfielders of his generation.

But at 33, and with a contract that will not be renewed, De Bruyne now finds himself at a crossroads. The Belgian international is reportedly “incredibly disappointed” by City’s decision to let him go. He believes he still has plenty to offer at the top level and is keen to stay in Europe for at least one more season to prove that point.

There’s no doubting De Bruyne’s quality. Even in a 2024/25 campaign disrupted by injuries, he has shown flashes of brilliance—reminding everyone why he’s still regarded as one of the most intelligent and incisive midfielders in world football. His ability to dictate tempo, break defensive lines, and create magic out of nothing remains elite. For clubs with Champions League ambitions, he could be the difference in tight matches and high-stakes moments.

And yet, it’s those very flashes—brief and infrequent—that highlight the core concern, his declining fitness and availability.

Since the start of the 2023/24 season, De Bruyne has missed a staggering 48 games through injury, 42 of those due to a recurring hamstring problem. With his 34th birthday looming before the start of next season, his durability is becoming a major red flag. Any club considering a move would be taking a gamble on a player whose ability to play consistently at the highest level is no longer a guarantee.

Adding to the challenge is his current wage structure. De Bruyne is on a reported £400,000 per week—an eye-watering figure even by elite standards. Any deal would require a radical pay cut unless he opts for a move to Saudi Arabia, where interest exists but which he is not yet ready to consider. Clubs in Europe, already facing tightening financial regulations and wage structures, will be reluctant to meet anything close to his current salary.

Napoli, have been heavily linked as his next destination and are intent on pushing on from this season’s Serie A title challenge under Antonio Conte. However, the Italian club simply doesn’t have the financial power to match De Bruyne’s wage expectations. Aston Villa, another side reportedly interested, are aiming for sustained European involvement but remain bound by financial fair play restrictions and would likely have to sacrifice long-term investment to afford De Bruyne.

The most intriguing link, perhaps, is Liverpool. De Bruyne is a boyhood Liverpool fan and would relish the chance to wear the red shirt. With Trent Alexander-Arnold joining Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the season, De Bruyne could, in theory, step into a key creative void left by the Scouser’s exit. Yet Liverpool’s strict transfer policy—focused on young, high-upside players on incentive-heavy deals—makes this move highly unlikely.

What’s clear is that De Bruyne still believes he belongs at the very top. He is motivated to prove City wrong and finish his career on his terms. But unless he is willing to adjust his financial demands—and unless clubs are prepared to take a calculated risk on his body—it’s difficult to see where the perfect fit lies.

He may yet be an X-factor signing. But any club signing Kevin De Bruyne will have to weigh short-term brilliance against long-term fragility.

Photo: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images

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Dylan Johnson