Manchester City have submitted a massive £92.5 million bid to sign an "exceptional" young player to replace Kevin De Bruyne, according to a new report.
Kevin De Bruyne on course to leave Man City this summer
De Bruyne has, over the last decade, arguably been Manchester City's and the Premier League's standout player. His time at the Etihad Stadium, however, now appears to be drawing to a close, with the Belgium international, 33, widely expected to leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires.
Subject to a mega-money offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club last summer, it's believed that clubs from the Saudi Pro League will once again be vying for his signature in a few months' time, hoping that he can follow in the footsteps of many of Europe's former superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
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A move to Major League Soccer could also be on the cards, with the division's newest club, San Diego FC, recently revealing that they had held talks with De Bruyne's agent about a potential move across the Atlantic.
"I talked to the agent," the club's sporting director Tyler Heaps told The Sun. "He's a fantastic footballer and he loves this area. He goes on holidays here every single year."
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Heaps added, however, that De Bruyne's hefty wage packet – which currently sees him earn £400,000 per week at City – would be a huge roadblock for any potential move.
"I’ll tell you what, those wages won’t fit our budget at the moment in terms of what his expectations are," he said.
Man City reportedly make £90m+ bid for Simons
While De Bruyne's future remains uncertain, it appears that City are already preparing for life without their talismanic midfielder next season.
According to a new report from Spain, Man City have already submitted a massive €110m (£92.5m) to RB Leipzig for the services of midfielder Xavi Simons, who they see as a potential replacement for De Bruyne.
The Spanish publication reports that City boss Pep Guardiola is keen to land Simons at all costs, and hopes the young Dutchman can be a key part of his project moving forward. Leipzig have not yet responded to the offer.
Xavi Simons for RB Leipzig
Simons joined Leipzig on a permanent deal from Paris Saint-Germain earlier this year, having initially joined the club on loan in 2023.nSince moving to the Red Bull Arena, Simons has been one of German football's most outstanding players, scoring 18 goals and providing 19 assists in 68 games across all competitions.
Xavi Simons Bundesliga Stats 2024/25
Games
Goals
Assists
Chances Created
Successful Dribbles
FotMob Average Rating
Stats per FotMob. (As of March 23, 2025)
Bayern Munich are also thought to be interested in Simons, with the club's sporting director Christoph Freund last year heaping praise on the 21-year-old.
“He's developed really well," said Freund. "I think he's going to have a really good career at the highest level. He has everything, mentality, character and is just an exceptional player.”