Manchester City fans could well be watching Kevin De Bruyne playing out his final season at the club.
The Belgian is out of contract next summer, and as things currently stand, he will leave as a free agent.
De Bruyne is wanted by David Beckham at Inter Miami, and there’s also been claims that San Diego FC are optimistic about signing De Bruyne.
And there will likely be more interest in the coming months from Saudi clubs.
Certainly, him extending his contract at the Etihad Stadium is starting to feel less and less likely, especially given his fitness issues this term.
It will be absolutely gutting to see De Bruyne leave the club when it does happen, and the task of replacing him will be extremely difficult.
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But Manchester City have now been told by Alan Pardew that they did have someone who may have been up to the job, but let him leave.
Alan Pardew suggests Man City will be gutted over Cole Palmer sale
Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Chelsea FC at Tot...
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Cole Palmer left Manchester City in the summer of 2023, after Chelsea came in for him late in the transfer window.
The Blues paid £42.5 million for the academy graduate and City were praised for getting that much money, for a player who didn’t have huge Premier League experience.
But now, that fee looks an absolute snip, with Palmer having been a revelation at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer scored two more goals and made another assist for Chelsea in their 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur yesterday, taking his total tally to 36 goals and 21 assists in 62 appearances. With his exploits against Spurs, Palmer has become the fourth-fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goal contributions.
Speaking in talkSPORT this morning, former Premier League manager Alan Pardew spoke about Palmer’s latest exploit, and suggested he could have been De Bruyne’s successor at City.
He said: “When you actually look at it now, De Bruyne, how important he is. He’s come in and he actually looks like he’s lifted it. Even though he’s admitted he’s not physically right, he’s still struggling.
“To think you had that ready-made replacement in Palmer in the building – it must really be sore and really hurtful what he’s doing at Chelsea at the minute.”
Palmer sale a sickener for Man City
City don’t often get it wrong when it comes to sanctioning the exits of players.
There’s an argument to say that Palmer wouldn’t be the same player he is today had he stayed at City, and you can understand why people say that.
But Palmer was always a serious talent for City, and simply lacked the appropriate game time to show what he could really do.
Cole Palmer for Chelsea (2023-present)
Appearances – 62
Goals – 36
Assists – 21
Chelsea have given him that and built the team around him and are now benefitting massively.
He is an output machine, just like De Bruyne has been for years at City, and he may well have been the ideal successor to the Belgian maestro.
Pardew says it must be ‘sore’ for City to see what Palmer is doing right now, and it’s impossible to think Pep Guardiola hasn’t questioned the sale at least once since it happened.
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