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Kevin de Bruyne might play alongside Lionel Messi as Inter Miami hold Manchester City maestro's discovery rights: Report
Inter Miami will have the first shot to sign Kevin de Bruyne if he decides to move to MLS after the season ends.
Inter Miami have a chance to sign Kevin de Bruyne as the Manchester City midfield maestro has already announced that he will leave the 2023-24 Premier League champions after this season. De Bruyne's contract at City will end at the end of the season which will allow other teams to sign him as a free agent. The Belgian midfielder is expected to make a get out of Europe in the fag end of his career to make a big money move.
According to a report on ESPN, Inter Miami holds the discovery rights of De Bruyne in MLS, which might help them form a duo with arguably the greatest footballer ever Lionel Messi.
The Major League Soccer has a rule where clubs have to sign up up to five players to their discovery list at any given time. The club then holds the exclusive rights of the players they listed to start negotiations with them without competition from other MLS clubs.
Inter Miami now have the first shot to sign De Bruyne if he decides to move to MLS after the season ends. They have already assembled a star-studded line-up by signing four Barcelona legends: Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. If they add De Bruyne to the list, it will only help Messi add more titles to Miami's cabinet.
De Bruyne, 33, has won 14 major trophies since joining City from Wolfsburg in 2015, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.
"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," De Bruyne said in a post on social media.
“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.”
De Bruyne's contract is due to expire at the end of June but it remains unclear whether he will continue to see out his days as a City player at the Club World Cup, which runs from June 14 until July 13.
"Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter," De Bruyne added. "Let's enjoy these last moments together!"
