FIFA rule change could impact Kevin De Bruyne contract talks as Man City and Chelsea take note
Today at 01:45 PM
Since leaving Chelsea for Wolfsburg and later joining Man City, Kevin De Bruyne has been ordained as one of the best players of his generation – but his contract is up at the end of the season.
Now into his tenth season at the Eithad Stadium, the 33-year-old Belgian playmaker has been linked with the MLS or Saudi Pro League, where he could supercharge his £400,000-a-week salary.
There has been no indication from De Bruyne’s camp that he favours that move, but it does give the six-time Premier League winner enormous leverage in talks with Man City.
Financially, City – who are themselves backed by sovereign wealth from the United Arab Emirates – have ample room to manoeuvre and compete with Saudi or MLS money.
The same cannot be said of De Bruyne‘s former side Chelsea, whose owners are worth tens of billions but whose PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) situation is precarious to say the least.
But for the West London side, FIFA have provided a financial life raft in the form of the Club World Cup.
The controversial restructuring of the Club World Cup, in which both Chelsea and City will play, is set to usher in a series of regulatory changes.
And one change in particular will be factored in by Man City as they negotiate with De Bruyne’s representatives, just as it will by Chelsea as they address their own contract situations.
FIFA introduce new transfer window
From the 2025 edition in the United States onwards, the Club World Cup will feature 32 teams and be hosted every four years, much like its international counterpart.
While most participating clubs are eager for the massive prize money promised by world football’s governing body, there are also concerns about player workload.
Incidentally, Pep Guardiola has suggested that both Man City and Chelsea have asked for the 2025-26 season to be delayed in order to accommodate the new tournament.
The biggest problem FIFA are facing, however, is the continued absence of a TV deal for the competition.
They had been seeking a package worth £2bn but the only offer they have received so far, which came from Apple, registered at just £750m.
In order to ensure that the competition represents good value for broadcasters, FIFA have implemented a series of measures that they hope will incentivise clubs to field their strongest XIs in the tournament.
As the tournament is scheduled for mid June to July, it has been confirmed that one of these measures will address the fact that most European player contracts – including De Bruyne’s – end mid-tournament.
FIFA has now ruled that clubs can extend contracts by two weeks to address this issue, as well as allowing them to open their transfer windows ahead of schedule to sign new players in time for the tournament.
Whatever happens with De Bruyne’s contract, this all but guarantees that it will at least be extended to allow him to feature for City in the Club World Cup.
How much will Man City and Chelsea earn from the Club World Cup?
Initially, FIFA had signalled that clubs who went all the way in the new Club World Cup could expect up to £80m or more in prize money.
With the ambiguity around the TV deal, that now seems a very remote possibility.
However, it is likely that clubs like Chelsea and City will pick up in the region of £30-40m from participation.
For context, that could theoretically cover De Bruyne’s contract for almost two years.
Then, there are the benefits for expanding their clubs’ global brands to new audiences, with Chelsea’s Todd Boehly and the Clearlake regime in particular viewing this as a major commercial opportunity.
