July 22, according to Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, while the deal for Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne to move to a Saudi Arabian league this summer is not yet finalized, the player still holds the upper hand in a potential move to the Middle East. Michael Emenalo, the current football director of the Saudi Professional League, who was instrumental in De Bruyne’s transfer from Genk to Chelsea, is a key figure in this transaction.
The report states that De Bruyne has indeed been in talks with several clubs in the Saudi Arabian league but no specific transfer date has been set. It emphasizes that if De Bruyne makes the move to the Saudi Arabian league during the summer transfer window next year, he would receive a return of €150 million over two seasons. During the European Championship, De Bruyne openly stated that considering the significant impact the next contract would have on his family, he does not rule out a move to the Middle East.
The report also reveals that the Saudi Arabian league has a special advantage in attracting De Bruyne. Michael Emenalo, currently the football director of the Saudi Professional League, previously held a position at Chelsea and it was he who championed and orchestrated De Bruyne’s transfer from Genk to Chelsea in 2012. In any future deals involving De Bruyne, Emenalo will again play a significant role.