17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2023/24

[Dax777]

I can't stand Madrid but Modric clearly still plays a big role there. He's a General in the dressing room, even when his best playing days are behind him. Not unlike latter day Vinny and Fernandinho were for us.

Yes, and neither Vinny nor Fernandihno liked it. Both promptly left one year after being assigned that role.

It is not a role that feeds the ego. Everyone knows it.

In the same situation, Dihno and Kompany would rather go play in significantly poorer leagues for a fraction of their normal salaries than stay for a 2nd year as a spiritual but not actual leader on the field.


Had the option to go to a lower league for 5 times their current salary been available, we can presume they'd have taken it too.

We didn't even afford Kev the respect of being made Captain in the final year of his greatness. All the others at least got that privilege.


I'm sorry, I don't see greed. I see a player with better options.

 

[Dax777]

Also, just goes to show that all these podcasters and journalists who report on City haven't got a clue, as i've heard half a dozen times in the last few weeks that he has no interest in ever going to Saudi

There is always a 'so long as' component attached to such statements that often goes unstated. Let me state it fully

Kevin Debruyne ( or put in any other superstar name) is no interest in ever going to Saudi Arabia, so long as he is an integral part of a championship chasing team.

The moment such star becones surplus then Saudi is absolutely an option. I mean in years past the option was to go back to their hometown team and play a few more years for pennies as their career draws down.


Why would any great player choose that over significantly more money as they wave their career and youth goodbye?


Those who see greed are looking through colored fan lenses.

 

[jimharri]

Yes, and neither Vinny nor Fernandihno liked it. Both promptly left one year after being assigned that role.

It is not a role that feeds the ego. Everyone knows it.

In the same situation, Dihno and Kompany would rather go play in significantly poorer leagues for a fraction of their normal salaries than stay for a 2nd year as a spiritual but not actual leader on the field.


Had the option to go to a lower league for 5 times their current salary been available, we can presume they'd have taken it too.

We didn't even afford Kev the respect of being made Captain in the final year of his greatness. All the others at least got that privilege.


I'm sorry, I don't see greed. I see a player with better options.

He wouldn't strike me as the sort of player who'd want the captaincy. Or, I regret to say, would be captaincy material. He doesn't come across as a leader of men. And that is in no way intended as an insult to the fella. Far from it.

 

[TinFoilHat]

I wouldn't blame Kev if he agrees to one last contracted season with us then heads to Saudi after to secure his family financially. Pep could use him as a super sub whilst developing Phil to be his natural heir.

 

[freshie]

Well we certainly can't compete with that

 

[jimharri]

Well we certainly can't compete with that

I can understand that anyone's head would be turned by that kind of money; absolutely. And you couldn't blame him for taking it. And yet.... I'd be disappointed if he did leave us, simply for one last VERY big payday. As I said earlier, I can’t see him struggling to pay the gas bill any time soon. The guy almost definitely has more money than he'll ever spend, unless he wants a fleet of Bugattis and mansions in multiple locations around the world. He should be looking to end his career at a higher level than the Saudi league. He deserves a better stage than that.

 

[Blue Maverick]

As he's among the highest earners in the biggest and highest paying league in the world, before the Saudi League came along, but is saying that he might go for one big pay day and is talking about how long it would take him to earn would he would in 2 years there. You'd think he was on minimum wage. He already has enough wealth for himself and all of his immediate family to never have to work again.

Its greed. Whether you want to admit it or not

Are you saying that the job you do if someone suddenly came along and said I’ll treble that before you retire you’d not go. You are just a number and hopefully a long time retired I didn’t care when I did it for my last year it set me up for a retirement where I don’t have to work. KDB won’t give a crap in 10 years what City fans think or anyone else for that matter as he will have set his family and subsequent generations for life.

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

Are you saying that the job you do if someone suddenly came along and said I’ll treble that before you retire you’d not go. You are just a number and hopefully a long time retired I didn’t care when I did it for my last year it set me up for a retirement where I don’t have to work. KDB won’t give a crap in 10 years what City fans think or anyone else for that matter as he will have set his family and subsequent generations for life.

I would for sure

But I don’t earn 350 thousand pounds every week

 

[Blue Maverick]

I would for sure

But I don’t earn 350 thousand pounds every week

But with tax it’s half that, granted still a lot of money but go do 2 years in Saudi tax free and earn 3 times, it’s a no brainer at that age especially if you’ve won everything, now going in your mid 20s I’d question unless you are bang average.

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

But with tax it’s half that, granted still a lot of money but go do 2 years in Saudi tax free and earn 3 times, it’s a no brainer at that age especially if you’ve won everything, now going in your mid 20s I’d question unless you are bang average.

It’s still greedy, for me

He’s admitting himself he’s going for the money. I admire him for that