Manchester City are reportedly set to offer their star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne a contract extension that will see him remain at the club until the summer of 2026.
The Belgium international arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Wolfsburg in 2015 for a fee in the region of £55m.
The 32-year-old still has 18 months remaining on his current £375,000-a-week contract with the Premier League champions.
De Bruyne is widely considered one of the best midfielders in the world and has helped The Citizens win five league titles, two FA Cups, five EFL Cups and the Champions League.
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According to the Mirror, Man City are now looking to reward the Belgian for his loyalty and performance by offering him a contract extension that will take him beyond a decade of service for the club.
The report adds that De Bruyne has the opportunity to earn £1m per week by joining the Saudi Pro League, but it is believed that the 32-year-old has no intention of leaving England, and his three children consider Manchester their home.
The Belgium international made a comeback from a five-month injury absence last week and played a pivotal role in the match, contributing a goal and an assist, guiding the defending league champions to a crucial 3-2 victory at Newcastle United.
De Bruyne is of the opinion that the lay-off has provided him with additional energy and focus, stating, "I might have needed that to get everything back on track. Mentally, it has just become calm - having no stress for a few months makes a difference."
City manager Pep Guardiola expressed his delight at having his influential playmaker back in action, commending the midfielder after the victory against Newcastle.
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Guardiola stated, "Kevin is a legend. He is loved by our people, and, hopefully, in the last months, he can help us be there to the end."
"We need players like Kevin. We need him to do something special in the final third. That is not tactical ability but talent, individual talent. I think everybody agrees we made a really good performance against such a physical team in Newcastle.
"They made good transitions and, after taking the lead [through Bernardo Silva], we conceded two goals but after that talent made the difference. At half‑time, I told the players: 'You are amazing, stick together and we will do it.' It was really important to win because Liverpool are flying and we have to go to Anfield so it's better to be close the them," added the City boss.
The Citizens are currently in second place in the Premier League standings with 43 points after 20 matches and trail The Reds by two points.
City will be back in action next weekend when they travel to London to take on Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Devesh Jaganath
