Report: Kevin De Bruyne 'Close to Agreeing' New Manchester City Contract
December 18, 2017
Kevin De Bruyne is reportedly "close to agreeing" a new contract at Manchester City, which could tie him to the club for as long as six years and effectively rule out any departure in the foreseeable future.
The 26-year-old's current deal isn't set to expire until the end of the 2020-21 season, but City are moving ahead of time to ensure Europe's powerhouses can't tempt him elsewhere, according to the Press Association (h/t Daily Mail).
De Bruyne is looking at a double-your-money contract as he looks to boost his salary—understood to be around £115,000 per week—to almost twice that figure at around £210,000 per week.
The Belgium international has arguably been City's best player of the season, and Simon Stone of BBC Sport emphasised his importance to their rise to an 11-point lead at the Premier League summit:
Despite the fact he was sold by Chelsea to Wolfsburg in 2014, De Bruyne has returned to England's top flight and now sits as one of its most valuable assets, lighting up the competition as part of one of Europe's best attacks this term.
The midfielder has seven goals to his name in 24 appearances across all competitions, but it's his 11 assists that have put him in the spotlight, eight of which have come in the league and put him in an elite bracket, per OptaJean:
De Bruyne is content in Manchester with his young family, though, per City's matchday programme (via the Press Association, h/t the Mail):
"I always say in football that a lot of things can happen very quickly, but I'm very happy here and the people at the club know that.
"I've no feeling to go anywhere else and enjoy being part of the project here and playing the kind of football we are playing.
"The team is going in the right direction and that's also important. I made the right decision coming to City and my family feels the same so everything is good."
De Bruyne has taken his status from Chelsea outcast to City superstar in a little more than three years, and he recently illustrated his loyalty to the cause on Twitter:
The reported new contract spells bad news for City's rivals, with manager Pep Guardiola forming a new dynasty at the Etihad Stadium and De Bruyne as the brightest jewel in their crown.