Latest Liverpool transfer news as the Reds chase a move for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne
Liverpool have made an ‘offer’ to sign Manchester City captain Kevin De Bruyne this summer, it has been claimed. The 33-year-old is set to leave Pep Guardiola’s side and become a free agent when his contract expires in June.
Speaking in a statement on social media at the start of April, De Bruyne said: “Dear Manchester. Seeing this, you probably realise where this is heading.
“So I’ll get straight to it and let you all know that these will be my final months as a Manchester City player. Nothing about this is easy to write, but as football players, we all know this day eventually comes. That day is here – and you deserve to hear it from me first.”
De Bruyne later admitted that he hasn’t been offered a new deal at City and the decision has been made to let him depart after a decade at the club. Since, speculation has increased around De Bruyne’s future.
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Aston Villa expressed an interest in signing the six-time Premier League winner last month, while Inter Miami, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are among the others that have been linked.
Now, it has emerged that Liverpool are in the frame to sign De Bruyne after Sky Sport Italy reported that the Reds have offered him a contract. Arne Slot’s side are keen to strengthen their midfield and have identified De Bruyne as a transfer target for the summer window.
Napoli have also made an attempt to lure him to the Stadio Armando Maradona, with Antonio Conte trying to convince him to join the Serie A team. They are hoping his ‘great relationship’ with Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku can help persuade him to move to Italy.
It’s added that De Bruyne, who has received interest from the MLS and Saudi Pro League, is keen to stay in Europe.
During his time at the Etihad Stadium, De Bruyne has won it all. The Belgian, who signed from Wolfsburg in a club-record £55million move in August 2015, has spent the last decade in Manchester, winning the Premier League six times, the Champions League once and the Club World Cup among other major trophies.
De Bruyne has scored 108 times and grabbed 177 assists in 418 appearances for City, and can add to that total before the end of the season. Guardiola’s men have four matches to go, with three in the Premier League and one in the form of the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace.
He netted the winner in City’s most recent game, a 1-0 win against Wolves last Friday, and is expected to start for their top-flight trip to Southampton on Saturday.
In an interview after City’s success over Wolves, De Bruyne appeared to fire a parting shot at City, and claimed he can still perform in the Premier League. He told Sky Sports: “I showed I can still play here [in the Premier League] otherwise I don’t do what I have done in these last four or five weeks.
“Obviously I know I’ve got one game left here [at the Etihad] but I just try to do my job like I’ve always done and I did that today, so I am proud of what I am doing. I give everything and I want to win the game.”
