Man Utd legend Gary Neville picks out ‘perfect’ club for Kevin De Bruyne

Gary Neville says David Beckham’s Inter Miami would be the ‘perfect’ club for Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne to end his long and illustrious career.

De Bruyne sent shockwaves through the game as he confirmed that this season would be his last with City in the build-up to Sunday’s Manchester derby stalemate.

The out-of-contract 33-year-old has helped City win 16 pieces of silverware across his decade-long spell at the Etihad and will hope to add a third FA Cup trophy to his collection before the end of the campaign.

Boasting an incredible tally of 106 goals and 174 assists for City, De Bruyne is widely considered to be among the club’s greatest ever players and one of the finest midfielders in the history of the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola had initially been hopeful of keeping hold of De Bruyne for at least another year, but talks over an extension ultimately came to nothing and the Belgian is seeking a fresh challenge for the forthcoming campaign.

‘Seeing this, you probably realise where this is heading. So I’ll get straight to it and let you all know that these will be my final months as a Manchester City player,’ De Bruyne said in a statement on his social media pages last Friday.

‘Nothing about this is easy to write, but as football players, we all know this day eventually comes. That day is here – and you deserve to hear it from me first.

‘Football led me to all of you – and to this city. Chasing my dream, not knowing this period would change my life.

‘This City. This club. These people… gave me EVERYTHING. I had no choice but to give EVERYTHING back! And guess what – we won everything.

‘Whether we like it or not, it’s time to say goodbye. Suri, Rome, Mason, Michele, and I are beyond grateful for what this place has meant to our family.

‘”Manchester” will forever be on our kids’ passports – and more importantly, in each of our hearts. This will always be our HOME.

‘We cannot thank the city, club, staff, team-mates, friends, and family enough for this 10-year ride. Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter.

‘Let’s enjoy these last moments together! Much love, “KDB”.’

The Saudi Pro League has long been mooted as a possible destination and De Bruyne fueled these rumours last summer, telling Belgian outlet HLN: ‘At my age you have to be open to everything.

‘You’re talking about incredible amounts of money in what may be the end of my career. Sometimes you have to think about that.

‘If I play there for two years, I will be able to earn an incredible amount of money.’

De Bruyne has also been linked with the likes of Bayern Munich, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, as well as Belgian outfit Gent, where the midfielder played as a youngster before establishing himself a household name.

But former Manchester United and England right-back Neville believes Major League Soccer could be a ‘great’ final challenge for the six-time Premier League winner before he hangs up his boots.

‘I think it would be a great destination for De Bruyne. I can see him fitting into America, an American way of life. The game is improving enormously over there,’ Neville said on the latest It’s Called Soccer podcast.

‘I think he would sign for Inter Miami if they came to him. It’s perfect for Kevin De Bruyne.

‘I can’t think of a player that would suit it better going over there and finishing his career.

‘I think it would be a perfect end for him.’

Inter Miami, who already boast Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba on their roster, hold the the discovery rights to De Bruyne, according to ESPN.

This means the Florida-based outfit have the first chance to negotiate with the Belgium international should he elect to play in MLS.

Facing the media shortly after De Bruyne’s went public with his decision to leave City, Guardiola said the midfielder had transcended football with the monumental impact he had made in the north west.

‘A sad day. A happy day for the fact that the pleasure personally that I lived this time with him. What he gave all of us, his humanity and of course I don’t have to say his influence on our success in the last decade,’ the City head coach told reporters.

‘It would be impossible to imagine that without him. A sad day because a part of us is leaving. When Vincent [Kompany] left or Sergio [Aguero] left or David Silva left, and I would say more names, it is a sad day.

‘But still we have ten games and hopefully 11, and six games at home that we can still enjoy with our fans and I’m pretty sure he will get the love and the recognition from all of us that he deserves.

‘His assists, his goals, His vision in the final third is so difficult to replace. Over how many years and games, that makes him unique. This is a business and important players have to perform well and managers have to perform well.

‘Any person can discuss their performance and in this last decade he has been outstanding. We won a lot of trophies and he has been involved in every single one. I think we will remember him. He’s part of this club.

‘The club said to him the doors are open for the rest of his life. Whatever he wants to do, he’s part of the family of this club.

‘The impact of some players transcends even what they do on the pitch and Kevin is one of them.’

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