Monumental Man City exit takes shape as Cristiano Ronaldo targets superstar with double-your-money Saudi offer

Cristiano Ronaldo has pinpointed the signing of Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne as one that he wants Al-Nassr to make, according to a report that has revealed that extraordinary lengths the Saudi Pro League outfit could go to in order to get the deal done.

De Bruyne is currently the highest-paid player in the Premier League, but could lose that title one way or another. His contract with Man City is due to expire at the end of the season, so he could either negotiate a renewal – which would almost certainly be on a lesser salary – or leave for a different club.

Now, Mundo Deportivo has shed some light on where De Bruyne could go if he leaves Man City. According to the report, Al-Nassr captain Ronaldo is influencing a plan to lure him to Saudi Arabia.

It’s claimed that Ronaldo is ‘actively encouraging’ Al-Nassr to make a move for De Bruyne, who rather than having to lower his earnings, could instead see them increase in the Middle East.

The report suggests Al-Nassr could present De Bruyne with a contract worth $1m (£762k/€910k) per week, which isn’t far off being double what he currently earns from Man City.

The belief is that De Bruyne, 33, would find it hard to turn down such a lucrative proposal. Meanwhile, from the Al-Nassr perspective, he could bring the quality they need to make the leap from being the runners-up in the Saudi Pro League in both seasons Ronaldo has been there, to the champions.

Much will depend on the progress of De Bruyne’s contract talks with Man City, but he would be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement from January 1 onwards in view of next season.

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Saudi Arabia seems likeliest destination for De Bruyne

Talk of a move to Saudi Arabia is nothing new for De Bruyne. He has long since been identified as a major candidate to move to the Pro League since it kickstarted its hefty investments with the addition of Ronaldo in January 2023.

TEAMtalk discovered that De Bruyne was an Al-Nassr target as far back as last November. Along with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, subject of a world-record offer by Al-Ittihad a year ago, he has since stood out as one of the dream targets to become a new figurehead of the Saudi Pro League.

The riches on offer in Saudi Arabia could prove to be tempting for a player who has received the kind of money to match his status as one of the Premier League’s best players over the past nine seasons.

There have, though, been counter-claims that De Bruyne is open to signing a new contract with Man City.

Guardiola also tipped to leave Man City

2025 is shaping up to be a transformational year for Man City. They will be hoping it includes a fifth Premier League title in a row, but are in a battle with Arsenal and Liverpool to make that happen.

At the end of the season, as things stand, not only is De Bruyne’s contract due to expire, but so is their head coach Pep Guardiola’s.

And recent reports have suggested that Guardiola – believed to be the FA’s dream appointment as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor as England manager, a role currently being taken care of by Lee Carsley – is edging towards a farewell from Man City after eight seasons.

Furthermore, TEAMtalk has also learned that Erling Haaland remains on the radar of Barcelona, so wants a release clause included in any new deal he signs at the Etihad Stadium.

Who are the highest-paid players in the Saudi Pro League?

While De Bruyne’s potential Al-Nassr salary of $1m per week would be a career high, he would still not be the best-paid player in Saudi Arabia.

Currently, of course, that is Ronaldo himself. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s salary with Al-Nassr is worth $4.24m per week, which makes him the highest-paid player in the whole world.

Furthermore, there are three other players in the Saudi Pro League who currently earn more than $1m per week. They are: Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad, $2.12m per week), Neymar (Al Hilal, $2.12m per week) and De Bruyne’s former Man City teammate, Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli, $1.11m per week).

The player who currently rounds out the top five earners in Saudi Arabia is Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr teammate, Sadio Mane ($848k per week).