How did Kevin De Bruyne negotiate his contract renewal at Manchester City? Details behind unique arrangement resurfaces

Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne's unique 2021 contract negotiation details have re-emerged.

De Bruyne penned a new deal with Cityzens in 2021 without any recognizable agent. Rather, he used two lawyers and data analytics services to prove his value to the club. One of the agencies hired by De Bruyne was Analytics FC.

The Belgian midfielder is one of the highest-paid footballers in the Premier League and pockets around £375,000 per week. De Bruyne has been absolutely superb for Manchester City since signing for the club in 2015.

De Bruyne's 2021 negotiation was a great indicator of how data analytics is taking over football. A senior figure revealed to The Athletic about how the emergence of analytics is making contract negotiation a much more complicated and time-taking process. He said (via The Athletic):

“The use of data is growing because players are becoming smarter, but for now it is a case-by-case situation. It’s rare that a player will produce statistics that we’re not already aware of, although it’s true that negotiations go on for much longer — and are more complex — than a few years ago.”

De Bruyne has made 370 appearances for the Cityzens, scoring 98 goals and providing 166 assists. He has won everything in English football, including five Premier League titles and also the UEFA Champions League last season.

While he has had an injury-stricken campaign this season, when fit, 32-year-old has produced the numbers, scoring twice and providing 13 assists in 14 matches across competitions. His current deal is set to run out at the end of the 2024-25 season. Reports have been percolating that City want to offer the midfielder a one-year-deal amidst a £1 million a week offer from the Saudi Pro League.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola opens up on Kevin De Bruyne row

Manchester City and Liverpool played out an entertaining 1-1 stalemate in the Premier League on Sunday, March 10. With both sides seeking a winner, Guardiola surprisingly took off De Bruyne.

The Belgian didn't hide his frustration and was involved in a heated exchange with Guardiola. The Spanish tactician has now claimed that replacing De Bruyne with Mateo Kovacic was a technical move as City needed to keep the ball better under piling pressure from Liverpool. He said (via Mirror):

"That's good. Have a chance next game to prove it, to prove how wrong I was. We need a player who keeps the ball. It's not about pressing. Kovacic is really good at that. We were happy with Kevin. It's not a problem. We're fine."

Manchester City are currently third in the league with 63 points from 28 matches. They are a point behind both Arsenal and Liverpool, the top two sides, respectively.