Pep Guardiola Eyes $124 Million Star As Potential Kevin De Bruyne Replacement, Amid Al Ittihad Interest

Rumors have repeatedly been linking Kevin De Bruyne to a Saudi Arabia switch. Prior reports hinted Al Nassr being eager to pair De Bruyne with Cristiano Ronaldo. Now, Al Ittihad seems to have the Belgian on their radar. Besides, the 32-year-old has been having a rather forgetful season with Manchester City. He has missed more than half of it due to an injury. The same woes still haunt the player, despite resuming action. And so, Pep Guardiola seems to be on a quest to fill the large void the Belgian’s potential exit would leave behind.

Pep Guardiola is reportedly considering signing Newcastle United midfield sensation Bruno Guimaraes this summer as Kevin De Bruyne’s replacement. This comes after Al Ittihad reportedly monitored De Bruyne’s physical condition. Guimaraes has a $124 million release clause in his contract with the Magpies. The Manchester club is expected to bid for the Brazilian before the summer window, in a move to prey on Newcastle’s financial fair play troubles, as per Fichajes. Though Manchester City is supposedly leading the race for the 26-year-old’s signature, other heavyweights are also competing with Guardiola’s entourage.

PSG reportedly has Bruno Guimaraes on their radar. They are expected to make a move for the Brazilian to prepare the team for a potential post-Kylian Mbappe era. Besides, Manchester United is also looking forward to signing Guimaraes. Anyhow, reports have it that Pep Guardiola is prioritizing Guimaraes over City’s other midfield targets. City is also eyeing Lucas Paqueta and Douglas Luiz to galvanize their midfield. If Bruno Guimaraes and the Sky Blues put pen to paper, it will be a purchase of choice for Guardiola, considering his profound admiration of the Brazilian.

Pep Guardiola’s admiration of Guimaraes hints he could potentially replace De Bruyne

Pep Guardiola had publicly spoken highly of Bruno Guimaraes before a Manchester City-Newcastle United FA Cup tie. “At set-pieces, he’s[Guimaraes] aggressive and is a real, complete holding midfielder since being at Lyon and now at a club who want to grow up and up,” said Guardiola. Since the Spanish boss has such high regard for the Brazilian, it is no surprise that the Cityzens are prioritizing the latter. Furthermore, Guimaraes has reportedly grown upset about his Newcastle stint, as the Magpies’ UEFA Champions League contention is quite dubious.

Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne’s Man City contract expires in 2025. Therefore, he’s now open to exploring new options this summer. Given how Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment-backed clubs splurged on Europeans last summer, it is a walk in the park for them to close in on the Belgian midfielder.