Kevin De Bruyne, a Premier League star for a decade, is rumored to be on the verge of joining the Chicago Fire, as reported by multiple sources on Thursday.
The 33-year-old Belgian has been a standout player for Manchester City, scoring an impressive 189 goals in his ten seasons with the club. However, De Bruyne recently announced that he will be leaving the team when his contract expires at the end of the current season.
The Chicago Fire, who are currently struggling with poor form, are said to be desperate to secure De Bruyne’s signature. Other teams, such as D.C. United and NYCFC, have also expressed interest in the midfielder. Inter Miami CF had previously engaged in negotiations with De Bruyne, but their three designated player spots have already been filled, including one by Lionel Messi.
Interestingly, De Bruyne has shown a preference for a move to Major League Soccer (MLS) rather than signing a contract to play in Saudi Arabia. He has not ruled out a return to the Premier League or competing in Europe for his next adventure.
“I’m open to everything, to whatever, just because I have to see the big picture,” De Bruyne stated. “I’m considering the sporting aspect, the family, everything together, what makes the most sense for me and my family. I don’t know what it is yet, as it depends on conversations and the projects presented to me. I still believe I can perform at a high level, but I’ll need more information before making a decision.”
Currently, the Chicago Fire holds a record of 3 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses in their first ten games of the season, earning them 12 points. They currently sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference under the guidance of former US national team coach Gregg Berhalter. If De Bruyne were to join the team, he would be alongside fellow Belgian Hugo Cuypers, who is currently tied for the MLS lead in goals with seven, providing the team with a dynamic attacking presence.
“In an ideal world, we would invest in the entire squad and bring in world-class players for every position, but that’s not realistic,” Berhalter explained. “We have salary caps and limited franchise player spots. So the sensible approach is to sign an attacking player.”
The Chicago Fire has only made it to the playoffs once in the past twelve seasons, back in 2017.
