If San Diego’s interest is real, it is above all reciprocal according to our colleagues. The player’s situation is conducive to negotiations since he can sign wherever he wants since January 1. On the other hand, a question exists: how could a club starting its first official season in MLS hire a player of the caliber of Ghent?
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Salary shouldn’t be a problem
As explained before, De Bruyne is a rather ambitious target for a newcomer. But the system is different in Uncle Sam’s country. In the United States, there is a salary cap which is established for all franchises and which is estimated at $5.95 million per year for the clubs. The minimum salary is $85,444 while the maximum is $743,750 for 2025.
To get around this rule and attract better players, MLS launched the designated player system. The idea is simple: a player can arrive in a franchise regardless of his salary if he is supported by equity. This number of designated players is a maximum of three in a squad and they are not taken into account in the payroll.
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It was launched in 2007, the year David Beckham arrived at the Los Angeles Galaxy. Coming back to Kevin De Bruyne, money will not be a problem since he will obviously be one of the designated players. Currently, San Diego already has another element of this type with Hirving Lozano, Johan Bakayoko’s former teammate at PSV.
Last season, nine players earned guaranteed salaries of more than $5 million. Lionel Messi unsurprisingly dominates this ranking with emoluments which amount to $20.4 million. While Italian winger Lorenzo Insigne is second with $15.4 million. Sergio Busquets ($8.8 million), Xherdan Shaqiri ($8.2 million) and Sebastian Driussi ($6.7 million) round out the top five earners.
Discovery rights
Another specificity of the MLS: discovery rights. This is a mechanism used by teams to “claim the right to negotiate with players who are not currently in the league but whom they wish to recruit”explains the MLS rules. “This system helps MLS manage the acquisition of new talent and ensures a level of order in how teams approach potential hires.”
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For Marco Reus, this posed a problem. Charlotte FC had paid its discovery rights. But the player did not want to sign for this club, but for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Consequently, Beckham’s former club had to pay a consideration to negotiate with the German.
As a new club, San Diego can give up to seven names in this discovery list. To do this, he must send it before the compliance date for the 2025 season, which arrives just before the start of the season, i.e. February 22. If KDB is on this list, they can negotiate freely between the different parties.
In order for everything to happen according to the rules, MLS keeps a close watch and ensures that the franchise in question has the means to afford the players it wants. “The Federation may contact a player’s current club or their representative to assess the likelihood of him coming to that particular club. If the league determines that there is no realistic chance of signing the player at that time, he will not be added to the roster.”
Kevin De Bruyne’s future still uncertain
In front of the camera, Kevin De Bruyne is clear: his future is not yet decided. He wants to give himself time before deciding and no idea is set in stone. Behind the scenes, however, its representatives can do whatever they want. If he performs well, Manchester City could take matters into their own hands and try to convince him to sign a new contract.
If not, two options seem most likely: MLS or Saudi Arabia. The Turkish destination seems more fantasy than serious at the moment.
For The Athletic, San Diego would still have a head start. “For almost a year, the flirtation between player and club has been public”writes the media again. “His long-time friend, and international teammate, Christian Benteke, spoke in glowing terms about what the move to MLS has done for his career and his mental health.
However, we will still have to be patient before knowing the definitive future of Kevin De Bruyne. No offense to the foreign media.
