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The participation of Kevin de Bruyne in the Club World Cup this summer is still undecided. The Belgian community contract with Manchester City ends on June 30, in the middle of the competition.
After the farewell, the questions. While Kevin de Bruyne, at the end of the contract on June 30, formalized this Friday his departure from Manchester City after the current season, several questions arise. Where will he play next year but above all will he participate in the Club World Cup, which will take place from June 14 to July 13 in the United States?
Once their last Premier League match against Fulham played on May 25, the Skyblues will fly over the Atlantic to face the Moroccan club of Wydad, the Emirati club of Al-Aïn and the Italians of Juventus in the G group but the presence of Kevin de Bruyne is not yet assured. His own coach, Pep Guardiola, revealed that he did not know the answer.
“If we go far, I don't know”
“This is a good question, I do not know, he conceded at a press conference this Friday. The Club World Cup, it is brand new for contracts. I hope he can continue to play football elsewhere, it depends on the risk for contracts and the future. I do not know. The club must speak with him or else Kevin must say what he wants. The first three games will take place before the end of his contract on June 30, but after that.
As recalled by the Catalan coach, Kevin de Bruyne will be able to face the Wydad on Wednesday June 18, Al-Aïn on Sunday 22 and finally Juventus on Thursday 26. If the Skyblues end in first place in group G, he could even participate in the eighth finals that would take place on Monday, June 30. But if Manchester City finishes second, his eighth will then be played on Tuesday, July 1, after the Belgian end of contract.
What does the regulations say?
Will he still wear the sky blue jersey beyond June 30? The situation remains fairly vague since the regulations are not entirely clear on the question of players at the end of the contract. Rule 24.3 specifies in particular that all participating clubs will be able to replace, only between June 27 and July 3, their players whose contract has ended during competition, like Kevin de Bruyne.
But the official regulations do not evoke the existence of an exceptional automatic extension until the end of the competition for these players. “The objective is to encourage clubs and players whose contracts are expired to find an adequate solution to allow the participation of said players,” said FIFA on its site in a decision published last October.
So understand that it is at each club concerned to manage the situation internally. In addition to the player's advice, the answer will therefore probably depend on both Manchester City but also the future Kevin de Bruyne club which will not necessarily want to let him play the competition, due to the risk of injury in particular.
Impossible player for two different clubs
One thing is certain, the Belgian midfielder, like the other players in his situation, will not be able to participate in the competition with another club from July 1. “To avoid any doubt, no player can be in the final list of more than one club” and “will be able to play for more than one club” in the competition, clarifies rule 24.8.
But what happens if Kevin de Bruyne joins another club which also participates in the Club World Cup even before the start of the competition? On paper, he could therefore be registered on the provisional list by his new club, but rule 23.6 stimulates that “if two clubs want to register the same player on their provisional list”, it will be up to FIFA “to decide after hearing all games”.
It will therefore be necessary to wait a few more weeks to see more clearly and know which day Kevin de Bruyne will wear the Manchester City jersey for the last time.
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